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BY 


REV.  JOHN  T.  GRIFFITH,  D.  a 


BX  6248  .P4  G75 

Brl^f'h'''  ^°^"    T-  1845-1917 

Brief  biographical  sketches 

of  deceased  Welsh  Baptist 


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Mrs.  Ann  Loxlev  Rhees,  widow  of  the  renowned  Morgan  John 
Rhees.  daughter  of  Major  Benjamin  Loxley  of  Philadelphia.  Born 
there  June  18.  1775.  Married  Feb.  22,  1796:  left  a  widow  at  bom- 
erset  Pa  Dec  7,  1804;  died  at  Philadelphia,  April  11,  1849.  Aged 
74-  also  Great-grandmother  of  Dr.  Rush  Rhees  of  Rochester  Un- 
iversity, N.  Y.,  and  Dr.  Nicholas  Murray  Butler  of  Columbia  Un- 
iversity,   N.    Y.  ,     n         ■,  ^    -n        1     V, 

The  lower  cut  represents  or.e  of  the  origmal  deeds  of  Beulah, 
Pa.    with  the  .signature  of  its  founder,   Morgan  John  Rhees. 

(See  the  "History  of  Morgan  John  Rhees"  by  the  author.) 


Rev.  J.  T.  GRIFFITH,  D   D. 


^2^.;^^^'^    ^  "^ 


v^/C 


Deceased  Welsh   Baptist  Ministers  who  have 
laboured  in  Northeastern  Pennsylvania  /:^ 
from  1832  to  1904 


BY 


s/ 


JOHN  T.  GRIFFITH,  D.  D. 


Author  of   "  Morgan  John  Rhees."      "  Baptist  Missionaries 

IN  Their  Relationship  to  the  Translation  J^-y 

OF  THE  Scriptures."  Etc.  Etc. 


"  Go  ye  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature,  he  that  believeth 
and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved,  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.'" 


copyrighted  by  THE  AUTHOR, 

March,  1904, 

Edwardsville,  Pa. ,  April  I,  1904. 


PRESS    OF   THE 
>riLKES-BARRE   RECORD, 

1904. 


A  Wavh  to  ll|)e  Seabrr. 


At  the  semi-annual  meeting  of  the  Welsh  Baptist  As- 
sociation of  Northeastern  Pennsylvania,  held  at  Parsons, 
Pa.,  in  November,  1900,  it  was  decided  to  celebrate  the 
twentieth  century  by  holding  two  special  meetings,  the 
first  with  the  Meade  Street  Baptist  Church,  Wilkes-Barre, 
January  29,  1901;  the  second  with  the  First  Welsh  Baptist 
Church  of  Scranton  February  5,  1901.  Four  addresses  were 
to  be  delivered  at  the  above  meetings: — 

"History  of  the  Churches  of  the  Association,"  Rev.  W. 
U.  Thomas,  Pittston. 

"History  of  the  Ministers  of  the  Association,"  Rev. 
John  T.  Griffith,  Lansford  (then). 

"History  of  the  Association,"  Rev.  W.  F.  Davies, 
Scranton. 

"The  Sunday  School  as  a  Factor  in  Christian  Civiliza- 
tion," Prof.  James  R.  Hughes,  Scranton. 

Rev.  D.  C.  Edwards,  Taylor,  was  the  clerk  of  the  Com- 
mittee of  Arrangements.  The  program  was  carried  out  as 
arranged. 

Since  then  the  writer  has  been  gathering  facts  as  far 
as  he  could  up  to  the  present  time.  Hence  these  brief 
sketches  are  the  fruits  of  the  above  arrangements  and  are 
now  presented  to  the  reader  in  print  as  a  tribute  of  respect 
to  the  memory  of  the  pioneers  of  the  Welsh  Baptists  of 
Pennsylvania  and  Ohio. 

JOHN  T.  GRIFFITH. 
Kingston,  Pa.,  March  8,  1904. 


=^nh^x^ 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Mrs.        Ann        Loxley        Rhees, 
Frontispiece. 

Rev.     J.      T.      Griffith,      D.      D. 
(Author). 

A  Word  to  the  Reader. 

Introduction    4 

Rev.    William    Owens 6 

Rev.    William    Morgans 7 

Rev.  William  Richmond 8 

Rev.  Daniel  E.  Bowen 9 

Rev.  John  P.  Harris 11 

Rev.   Richard  Edwards 12 

Rev.    David   Evans 13 

Rev.   Ebenezer  Edwards 13 

Rev.  John  W.  James 16 

Rev.  B.  E.  Bowen 17 

Rev.  John  Eldred  Jones 17 

Rev.  W.  R.  Jones 19 

Rev.  Theophilus  Jones 20 

Rev.  P.  L.  Davies,  M.  A 21 

Rev.  E.  Oliver 22 

Rev.  Isaiah  Davies 22 

Rev.  John  Roberts 23 

Rev.   A.   J.   Morton 24 

Rev.  F.  Evans,  D.  D 25 

Rev.  O.  Griffiths 26 

Rev.  John  Evans,  M.  A 27 

Rev.  B.  W.  Thomas 29 


Rev.  W.  D.  Morgan 29 

Rev.  T.  G.  Jones 30 

Rev.   Charles  Jones,  M.  A 30 

Rev.  Benjamin  Nichols 31 

Rev.  Edward  Jenkins 32 

Rev.    Moses   Wright 33 

Rev.  James  R.  Price 34 

Rev.  Jeremiah  Griffiths 36 

Rev.  B.  James 38 

Rev.  John  Seth  Jones 39 

Rev.  Samson  Jones 40 

Rev.  J.  F.  Richards 40 

Rev.   William   Haddock 41 

Rev.  William  Shadrach 43 

Rev.  J.  R.  Jones 48 

Rev.  Ambrose  Williams 47 

Rev.  D.  R.  Jones 48 

Rev.  D.  J.  Evans 48 

Rev.  Joseph  T.  Jones 49 

Rev.   David   Jones 49 

Rev.  H.  C.  Parry 51 

Rev.  John  A.  Evans 52 

Rev.   Jacob   Morris 52 

Rev.  B.  E.  Jones 53 

Rev.  W.  O.  Evans 54 

Rev.  Isaac  Bevan 56 

Rev.  David  Probert 57 

Rev.  David  Jenkins 58 

Rev.  Henry  Thomas 59 


4vI>E#7^^ 


©tber  men  labored,  an&  ^c  arc  cntcrcD 
into  tbctr  Iabot6."—John,  4.38. 


The  Welsh  Baptists  occupy  a  very  prominent  position 
in  the  origin  and  development  of  the  Baptists  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, New  Jersey  and  other  states  in  America.  Welsh 
Baptists — the  Eatons  and  others — from  Dolau,  Radnorshire, 
Wales,  were  among  the  chief  founders  of  the  old  Pennepek 
Church  known  as  the  Lower  Dublin  Church,  Philadelphia, 
which  is  the  oldest  Baptist  Church  in  Pennsylvania,  now  in 
existence,  it  was  founded  in  January,  1688.  A  church  had 
been  organized  at  Cold  Spring  near  Bristol,  Pa.,  in  1684, 
by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Dungan  of  Rhode  Island,  but  it 
ceased  in  1702.  The  old  Welsh  Tract  Church  came  from 
Rhvdwilym,  Wales  as  an  organized  church  with  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Griffith  as  their  pastor  in  1701.  Montgomery 
Church  was  founded  in  1719  by  the  noted  Rev.  Abel  Mor- 
gan who  came  from  Blaenau  Gwent  in  171 1 — others  might 
be  named  such  as  the  Great  Valley,  171 1,  Brandywine,  etc., 
etc.  Dr.  W.  W.  Keen  of  Philadelphia  in  his  history  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church  of  Philadelphia,  recently  published 
says,  that  "the  preponderence  of  the  Welsh  element  in  the 
early  history  of  the  Philadelphia  Association,  and  especially 
of  our  own  church  is  worthy  of  note.  Of  the  first  six  joint 
pastors  of  Pennepek  and  Ph-iladelphia,  three — Samuel  Jones 
and  both  the  Morgans  were  W^elshmen,  to  whom  are  to  be 
added  their  immediate  successors  Jenkin  Jones  and  Morgan 
Edwards  their  force  of  character  counted  for  far  more  than 
their  were  numbers.  To  this  fact  is  due  the  sturdy  Calvin- 
istic  faith  which  was  characteristic  not  only  of  our  own,  but 
of  nearly  all  the  churches  of  the  Philadelphia  Association. 
Even  so  late  as  February  14,  183 1,  separate  services  in  the 
Welsh  language  were  held  in  our  church."  See  History 
First  Baptist  Church,  Phil.  p.  54. 

To  the  above  might  be  added  that  it  is  to  the  Welsh 
Baptists  the  American  Baptists  are  indebted  for  their  Script- 
ural position  on  the  Communion    question.     The  influence 


s 

of  the  Welsh  ministry  has  been  felt  throughout  the  ages, 
and  continues  to  the  present,  and  will  continue.  Such 
names  as  Morgan  John,  Rhees,  Senior  and  Junior — Ben- 
jamin Griffith,  Wm.  Shadrach,  H.  G.  Jones,  Isaac  Bevan 
and  many  others  will  always  be  honorably  known  in  Bap- 
tist History,  and  among  them  the  ministers  of  the  Welsh 
Baptist  Association  of  North  Eastern  Pennsylvania  form  an 
important,  honorable  and  essential  part  in  the  great  and 
noble  work  of  building  Christianity  in  the  state  and 
throughout  the  world.  The  ministers  who  are  regarded  as 
among  the  chief  pioneers  of  the  Welsh  Baptist  Association 
of  North  Eastern  Pennsylvania  are  the  late  Revs.  William 
Owens  of  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  William  Morgans,  Pottsville,  Pa., 
and  William  Richmond  of  Blakely,  Pa.  From  the  year 
1840  to  1855,  the  Welsh  Baptists  of  Eastern  Pennsylvania 
and  New  York  State  constituted  one  Association,  known 
as  "The  Onedia  and  Eastern  Pennsylvania  Welsh  Baptist 
Association,"  December  22-27,  1855,  what  is  now  known 
as  "The  Welsh  Baptist  Association  of  North  Eastern  Penn- 
sylvania," was  organized  with  the  First  Welsh  Baptist 
Church  of  Scranton,  Pa.,  and  Carbondale.  The  follow^ 
ing  ministers  were  present: — John  P.  Harris  (leuan 
Ddu),  Minersville,  Pa.;  John  W.  James,  Scranton; 
W'iliiam  Morgans  and  Richard  Edwards,  Pottsville, 
Pa.;  Wm.  Richmond,  Blakely;  D.  E.  Bowen,  Carbon- 
dale;  David  Evans,  Danville;  W.  R.  Jones,  Summit  Hill, 
and  the  Rev.  D.  C.  Thomas  who  ha^  newly  left  Tremont; 
and  as  visitors  we  find  that  Revs.  Wm.  Owens,  Pittsburg; 
John  Edred  Jones,  Cincinnati  and  Wm.  Garner,  New  York. 
The  Rev.  John  W.  James  was  elected  Moderator;  and  the 
Rev.  John  P.  Harris  (leuan  Ddu),  Clerk,  and  thus  the  As- 
sociation was  organized.  Those  were  happy  and  memor- 
able days  for  our  fathers  and  Welsh  Baptists  in  Pennsylv- 
ania. This  brings  us  to  our  subject — Brief  Sketches  of 
Deceased  Welsh  Baptist  Ministers  owho  have  served  in 
North  Eastern  Pennsylvania  Pennsylvania  and  others  as 
far  as  time  and  space  permits. 


6 
THE  REV.  WILLIAM  OWENS. 

Mr.  Owens  was  born  in  1798  at  a  farmhouse  named 
Gellifawnen  in  the  parish  of  Llandybie,  Carmarthenshire, 
Wales.  He  was  baptized  at  the  ag-e  of  twenty-one  by  the 
Rev.  John  Davies,  bookbinder,  Carmarthen,  and  united 
with  the  Zoar  Church,  Glandifaen.  He  began  to  preach 
near  his  birth  place.  In  1831,  he  and  his  wife  and  three 
sons — John,  Rees  and  William  came  to  America.  They 
sailed  from  Liverpool,  and  landed  at  Lewistown,  Delaware 
on  Christmas  day,  1831.  He  remained  there  one  year, 
and  then  moved  to  Philadelphia;  he  remained  in  Philadel- 
phia one  year,  and  then  moved  to  Pottsville.  This  was  in 
1833.  During  his  stay  at  Philadelphia,  he  formed  the  ac- 
quaintance and  friendship  with  the  Rev.  Wm.  Morgans, 
afterwards  known  as  Morgan's  of  Pottsville.  Mr.  Morgan 
gave  him  all  encouragements  to  exercise  his  g>ifts.  After 
his  removal  to  Pottsville,  he  preached  at  Pottsville  and 
Minersville,  and  the  churches  at  these  places  decided  to 
have  him  ordained,  and  as  there  were  no  Welsh  Baptist 
Churches  'in  the  district  then,  he  had  to  go  to  Philadelphia 
to  be  ordained.  His  friend  the  Rev.  Wm.  Morgans  intro- 
duced him  to  the  Rev.  Horatio  Gates  Jones,  D.  D.,  and 
others,  and  inasmuch  as  Mr.  Owens  could  not  set  forth  his 
views  of  doctrine,  etc.,  before  the  Council  in  English,  he 
was  permitted  to  do  so  in  Welsh,  and  his  statements  were 
translated  into  English  by  a  Welsh  brother,  so  that  the 
Council  might  understand  him.  They  were  very  much 
pleased  with  him,  and  ordained  him  as  pastor  of  the  Welsh 
Baptist  Churches  of  Pottsville  and  Minersville  where  he 
laboured  for  about  two  years  with  great  success.  In  1834 
he  met  with  a  bitter  trial  in  the  death  of  his  beloved  wife 
Ann,  whose  death  was  caused  by  the  birth  of  a  daughter 
who  also  d'ied,  and  both  mother  and  daughter  were  buried 
at  Minersville.     He  then  gave  the  care  of  his  three  sons  to 


his  sister,  Mrs.  Mary  Davies,  Palmyra,  Ohio,  and  in  order 
to  be  nearer  to  his  sons  he  resigned  at  Pottsville  and  moved 
to  Pittsburg  to  take  charge  of  the  Welsh  Baptist  Church 
there,  as  successor  to  the  Rev.  Jacob  Morris,  where  he 
laboured  until  he  was  taken  to  his  reward  in  glory  in  Dec- 
ember, 1874.  Mr.  Owens  was  truly  a  Prince  in  Israel.  He 
never  studied  the  English  language  and  for  that  reason, 
many  quaint  things  are  sa-id  of  the  manner  in  which  he 
would  sometimes  try  to  express  himself  in  English.  His 
whole  life  was  pure,  and  he  stood  like  a  Prince  among  his 
brethren.  See  "The  Dawn"  for  more  elaborate  articles. 
1876,  p.  116.     1877.     229. 


REV.  WM.  MORGANS,  POTTSVILLE. 

I  have  not  been  able  to  find  the  date  and  real  place  of 
his  birth,  but  it  is  said  that  he  was  a  native  of  Llwynpia, 
near  Pontypridd,  Glamorganshire,  South  Wales,  and  that 
he  began  to  preach  at  the  request  of  Dr.  John  Jenkins  Hen- 
goed.  The  Rev.  D.  Jones  in  his  history  of  the  Welsh  Bap- 
tists, says,  that  he  was  ordained  at  Llantrisant,  Glamorgan- 
shire in  1824,  and  that  he  soon  afterwards  left  for  America. 
In  the  history  of  the  Rev.  Wm.  Owens  we  saw  that  Mr. 
Morgans  was  in  Philadelphia  in  1832,  and  it  seems  to  me 
that  he  came  to  Pottsville  and  Minersville  as  the  successor 
of  Wm.  Owens.  In  the  report  of  the  dedication  of  the  first 
meeting  house  at  Minersville,  Pa.,  we  find  that  the  Revs. 
Messrs.  Wm.  Owens,  Pittsburg;  W.  Harris,  New  York; 
Wm.  Morgans,  Pottsville  and  others  officiated,  and  that  it 
was  then  "he  came  to  these  parts."     (See  the  Dawn,  1892.) 

This  was  in  November,  1837.  From  that  time  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  April  25,  1876,  he  labored  in 
these  parts — Minersville,  St.  Clair,  Five  Points,  Etc.,  but  he 
was  known  as  Morgans,  Pottsville,  and  loved  by  all.  He 
was  buried  at  Pottsville,  April  27.  He  was  79  years  old 
when  he  died  and  preached  his  last  sermon  at  St.  Clair, 
April  16,  1876.     He  was  taken  ill  on  that  day,  and  was  led 


home  by  friends  and  among  them  an  Irishman,  for  they  all 
loved  him,  and  when  he  reached  home,  he  said — "My  work 
is  finished,"  and  so  it  was.  His  wife  had  only  just  preceded 
him,  having  died  February  12,  1876.  She  was  a  native  of 
St.  Athan,  Glamorganshire,  born  in  1805,  a  daughter  of  a 
farmer  named  Thomas  Mathews,  and  a  sister  of  the  late 
famous  Methodist  minister,  Rev.  E.  Mathews,  Eweni.  She 
was  converted  at  Lantwit  Majar  in  1825,  under  the  preach- 
mg  of  the  Rev.  Jabes  Lawrence,  who  was  a  missionary  in 
this  part  of  Glomorgan. 

See  excellent  articles  in  honor  to  the  memory  of  Mr. 
Morgans  in  "The  Dawn"  for  June,  1876,  by  the  late  Rev. 
John  P.  Harris,  (leuan  Ddu,)  and  in  the  March  issue  1877 
by  the  Rev.  D.  Rhoslyn  Davies.  See  also  "The  Dawn," 
1876,  p.  33-34  for  a  sketch  of  Mrs.  Morgans  by  the  late 
Rev.  A.  J.  Morton. 


REV.  WILLIAM  RICHMOND. 

He  was  con&idered  the  apostle  of  Luzerne  County  in 
his  day  among  the  Welsh  Baptists,  Lackawanna  County, 
was  not  in  existence  in  his  day  nor  for  years  afterwards. 

He  was  generally  known  as  Richmond  of  Blakely. 
He  founded  the  First  Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  Scran- 
ton  in  1849.  It  seems  impossible  to  get  a  history  of  his 
early  life.  The  general  view  of  many  has  been  that  he  came 
to  America  from  Daranfelen  Church,  South  Wales. 

Inasmuch  as  the  Rev.  W.  Jones,  (Ap  Rhys,)  now  of 
Newport,  Monmouthshire,  Wales,  had  been  pastor  of  the 
Daranfelen  Church,  I  wrote  to  him  to  find  out  if  possible 
the  early  history  of  Wm.  Richmond.  He  sent  me  a  long 
letter  respecting  his  brother,  John  Richmond  and  his  family 
who  Hved  at  Blaenavon  at  the  time  Wm.  Richmond  came 
to  America,  viz.  about  1830  or  1831.  Mr.  Jones  concludes 
his  letter  by  saying  chat  he  thinks: 

I.  That  W.  Richmond  was  born  at  Cwmdu,  near 
Llangynidr  and  Crughowell. 


2.  That  he  was  baptized  at  Llanwenarth  by  Francis 
Hiley,  and  that  he  began  to  preach  there  also. 

3.  That  he  came  to  America  in  183 1. 

4.  That  he  could  not  have  come  from  Daranfelen 
Church,  because,  that  church  was  not  then  in  existence. 

W.  Jones. 

Newport,  Mon..  Nov.  16,  1901. 

After  his  arrival  -in  America,  he  settled  on  a  small  farm 
at  Blakely,  near  Carbondale,  Pa.,  and  preached  wherever 
providence  would  open  the  way,  and  thus  was  the  means  of 
doing  much  good  in  his  day.  He  died  suddenly  at  his 
home  at  Blakely,  Feb.  1857.  He  preached  the  second  Sun- 
day in  February  at  Carbondale  and  seemed  strong.  He 
said  that  he  was  almost  75  years  the  week  he  died,  and  he 
was  buried  on  Friday  at  Carbondale.  The  late  Rev.  Ed- 
ward Jenkins  who  then  lived  at  Carbondale,  (though  not 
then  ordained,)  was  the  preacher  who  officiated  at  his  fun- 
eral. The  weather  was  so  intensly  cold  that  ministers  from 
a  distance  could  not  come  to  the  funeral.  He  was  held  in 
high  esteem  by  all  his  brethren. 

The  Rev.  Wm.  Morgans,  Pottsville,  wrote  a  touching 
eleg>'  in  honor  to  his  memory  which  contained  eleven 
verses,  which  was  published  in  Welsh. 

(For  a  more  complete  account  of  the  above  three  pio- 
neers— Owens,  Morgans  and  Richmond,  see  an  article  in 
Seren  Gom^r  for  May,  1902,  by  the  writer.) 


THE  REV.  DANIEL  E.  BOWEN. 

I  am  under  the  impression  that  Mr.  Bowen  was  a  na- 
tive of  Abergwili  Parish,  Wales.  I  have  not  been  able  to 
get  the  facts  of  his  early  life,  but  we  find  bim  at  Carbondale 
in  1841,  where  he  labored  nearly  six  years.  His  letter  of 
dismission  reads  as  follows: 


lO 

"The  Particular  Baptist  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  at  Car- 
bondale,  Luzerne  Co.,  Pa.,  sendeth  Christ-ian  Salutation  to 
our  brethren  of  the  same  faith  and  order  to  whom  this  may- 
concern  : 

This  is  to  certify,  that  our  beloved  Pastor,  Daniel  E. 
Bowen  has  laboured  with  us  nearly  six  years,  and  now  it  be- 
cometh  us  in  the  order  of  things,  and  at  his  request  that 
we  are  under  the  painful  necessity  of  giving  unto  him  a 
letter  of  dismission.  We  recommend  him  as  an  efficient 
minister  of  the  gospel,  we  have  sat  under  his  ministry  with 
delight,  and  the  fru-it  has  been  good  to  our  taste.  It  is  our 
prayer  and  desire  that  wherever  he  may  be  led  in  the  Provi- 
dence of  God,  that  he  may  be  the  means  in  the  hands  of 
God  to  the  conversion  of  sinners,  the  edification  of  God's 
people,  and  the  advancement  of  the  Redeemer's  Kingdom 
in  the  world.  May  the  Lord  be  his  shield,  his  helper  and 
his  portion.     Amen. 

Done  by  order  and  in  behalf  of  the  church. 

John  Bowen,  Senior  Deacon. 

Carbondale,  Sept.  17,  1847. 

I  do  not  know  whether  he  went  to  Wisconsin  as  a 
missionary  in  1847  or  not — we  find  that  he  had  the  pastoral 
charge  of  Dunmore  in  1851,  and  we  have  an  account  of 
h'im  baptizing  in  Pittston  and  Scranton  in  1852;  but  in 
"The  Western  Star"  for  May  1852,  we  find  the  following 
item: — "The  Rev.  D.  E.  Bowen  has  resigned  the  care  of 
the  Welsh  Baptists  of  Carbondale,  and  has  moved  with  his 
wife  to  Wisconsin  to  labour  as  a  missionary  under  the 
Home  Mission  Board." 

Bro.  Bowen  felt  very  sad  in  leaving  his  brethren,  in 
the  East  for  the  West.  He  was  very  successful  in  Wiscon- 
sin as  a  missionary;  it  is  said  that  he  planted  sixteen 
churches  in  the  state.  He  laboured  in  different  states  from 
that  time  until  January  13.  1890  when  he  died  in  peace  at 
Sioux  Rapids  after  having  preached  the  gospel  53  years, 
(See  "The  Dawn,"  1890.) 

Truly  our  fathers  were  pioneers. 


II 

THE  REV.  JOHN  P.  HARRIS  (leuan  Ddu.) 

Mr.  Harris  was  a  native  of  Fishguard,  Pembrokeshire, 
Wales,  where  he  was  born  January  27,  1820.  His  parents 
were  the  Rev.  and  Mrs.  James  Harris.  He  was  converted 
in  his  1 6th  year  and  graduated  at  Haverfordwest  College  in 
1842.  He  was  ordained  at  Remsen,  New  York  in  1843  a-^d 
came  to  Minersville,  Pa.,  in  1844.  This  was  a  very  valuable 
accession  to  the  association  for  in  addition  to  his  pastoral 
work  he  rendered  invaluable  service  as  a  writer  and  pub- 
lisher of  excellent  works.  "In  1838  the  Rev.  W.  H. 
Thomas,  published  in  Utica,  New  York,  an  x\merican  edi- 
tion of  the  Rev.  Joseph  Harris'  Collection  of  Hymns  for 
use  in  the  public  worship  later,  the  three  Welsh  Baptist 
Associations  appo-inted  the  Rev.  John  P.  Harris,  then  of 
Minersville  to  publish  a  new  and  revised  edition  of  this 
work.  This  edition  was  printed  at  Pottsville,  Pa.,  in  1857, 
by  the  late  Rev.  Richard  Edwards,  and  adopted  by  the 
Welsh  Baptist  Churches.  It  contained  one  thousand  and 
fifty-two  hymns.  Many  of  the  hymns  in  Mr.  Thomas'  book 
were  omitted — others  were  added  and  among  them  some  of 
the  best  old  hymns  in  the  language;  and  there  was  an  ap- 
pendix added  containing  about  fifty  hymns,  composed  by 
Mr.  Harris  for  use  on  Independence  Day,  Temperance 
Meetings,   and  the  Anti-Slavery  gatherings,  eac. 

In  1846  he  published  an  x^merican  edition  of  the  works 
of  John  Philip  Davies,  Tredegar.  His  Drama  on  "Joseph 
and  His  Brethren,"  was  very  popular  for  years  and  might 
be  yet.  After  having  served  Minersville  for  about  sixteen 
years  he  moved  to  Freedom  Cattaraugus  Co.,  New  York — 
from  Freedom  to  the  First  Welsh  Baptist  Church,  Scran- 
ton,  then  from  Scranton  back  to  Freedom,  N.  Y. — from 
Freedom  to  Providence,  Pa.,  and  from  Providence  to  Nan- 
ticoke  to  take  charge  of  the  English  Church,  where  hr 
"finished  his  course"  triumphantly  November  5,  1898,  and 
where  he  was  buried  November  8th,  after  having  served 
his  generation  "well  for  nearly  60  years." 


12 

REV.  RICHARD  EDWARDS,  POTTSVILLE. 

Thursday,  October  2,  1902,  at  the  home  of  his  son,  S. 
B.  Edwards,  Esq.,  Pottsville,  the  Rev.  Richard  Edwards 
passed  from  his  labors  to  his  reward  in  the  84th  year  of  his 
age.  Mr.  Edwards  was  born  at  a  place  called  Tredomen, 
Lanfabon,  Glamorganshire.  Wales,  March  i,  1819.  Early 
in  life  he  was  baptized  by  the  Rev.  David  Jones  at  the  Tab- 
ernacle Baptist  church,  Cardiff.  He  began  to  preach  in 
1841.  Soon  after  that  he  came  to  America  and  followed 
the  trade  of  a  printer,  which  he  had  learned  with  his  brother- 
in-law  in  Wales.  In  1844,  what  was  then  known  as  "The 
Oneida  New  York  and  North-eastern  Pennsylvania  Welsh 
Baptist  Association"  appointed  the  Rev.  John  P.  Harris, 
then  of  Minersville,  Pa.,  as  editor  of  the  Western  Star,  a 
Welsh  Baptist  monthly  magazine,  and  the  Rev.  Wm.  Mor- 
gan, of  Pottsville,  as  treasurer,  and  both  requested  Mr.  Ed- 
wards to  come  to  Pottsville  to  be  publisher  and  printer  of 
this  new  enterprise.  He  was  then  in  New  York,  where  he 
had  been  printing  the  Berean  since  1842.  At  their  request 
he  came  to  Pottsville,  where  he  remained  until  God  called 
him  to  bis  eternal  home.  He  published  the  Western  Star 
from  1844  tO'  1867,  and  in  1869  he  published  two  more  is- 
sues, which  were  the  last.  In  the  very  last  issue 
there  is  an  elegant  picture  of  the  late  Rev.  Dr. 
Thomas  Price,  of  Aberdare,  Wales,  who  that  year  was 
on  a  visit  to  America,  and  was  one  of  the  speak- 
ers at  the  first  commencement  of  Crozer  Seminary. 
In  1859  Mr.  Edwards  was  ordained  at  St.  Clair,  Pa.  He 
never  had  charge  of  any  church,  but  served  wherever  he  was 
called.  Thus,  for  more  than  sixty  years  this  man  of  God 
served  his  generation  through  the  press  and  the  pulpit. 
Much  might  be  said  of  bis  excellencies  if  space  permitted. 
The  funeral  services  were  held  Monday,  October  6th,  when 
the  following  ministers  officiated:  The  Revs.  Messrs.  J.  M. 
Hunt,  D.  S.  Thomas,  D.  I.  Evans  and  T.  P.  Morgan.  The 
following  children  survive,  his  wife  having  died  some  years 
ago:     Mrs.  P.  D.  Helms,  Misses  Hannah  and  Marie  Ed- 


t3 

wards,  of  Pittsville;  D.  W.,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.;  John  R., 
of  the  United  States  Navy,  Washington,  D.  C;  T.  H.,  of 
Pittston;  S.  B.,  attorney-at-law,  of  Pottsville,  and  E.  L.  Ed- 
v/ards,  of  Pdttston.  May  the  Lord  comfort  them  all.  "The 
memory  of  the  just  is  blessed." 

i 


THE  REV.  DAVID  EVANS. 

Mr.  Evans  was  a  native  of  Evan  Chapel,  New  Castle 
Emlyn,  Wales,  where  he  was  born  in  the  year  1816.  In  his 
early  life  he  was  a  Congregationalist,  and  began  to  preach 
among  them  in  Wales.  He  came  to  America  in  1842,  and 
settled  at  Five  Points,  Schuylkill  Co.,  Pa.,  where  in  a  short 
time  he  was  baptized  by  the  late  Rev.  Wm.  Morgans,  Potts- 
ville. In  1846  he  was  ordained  at  Danville,  Pa.  The  Revs. 
John  P.  Harris,  Minersville;  Wm.  Morgans,  Pottsville,  and 
D.  E.  Bowen,  Carbondale  officiated.  From  Danville  he 
went  to  Summit  Hill,  Pa.,  and  was  the  first  pastor  of  that 
church.  It  was  during  his  pastorate  in  1852  the  meeting 
house  was  built  there.  During  his  pastorate  at  Shenan- 
doah, Pa.  1 870- 1 872  the  meeting  house  was  bu-ilt  there. 
He  was  also  pastor  of  Ebensburg,  Pa.,  and  Mineral  Ridge, 
Ohio.  He  died  at  McKeesport,  Pa.,  August  8,  1895,  in  the 
full  assurance  of  the  faith. 

His  daughter  was  the  first  wife  of  the  Rev.  Thomas 
Thomas,  Sharon,  Pa. 


THE  REV.  EBENEZER  EDWARDS. 

Mr.  Edwards  was  bom  at  Llangollen,  North  Wales  in 
the  year  1824.  He  was  a  son  of  the  Rev.  John  Edwards, 
known  as  Edwards  Rluthyn,  later  Edwards  Nantyglo, 
Brynmawr,  etc.  He  was  converted  when  quite  young  at 
Cardiff,  and  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the  Tabernacle 
Baptist  Church  by  the  late  Rev.  David  Jones.  He  was 
educated  at  Haverfordwest  College,  South  Wales,  and  was 


H 

ordained  at  Pembroke  Pembrokeshire,  South  Wales,  in 
1847.  In  1850  he  came  to  America,  and,  after  having  spent 
the  winter  months  of  1850-1851  at  Danville,  Pa.,  he  came 
to  Pittston  and  the  Welsh  Baptist  Church  there  was  or- 
ganized and  Mr.  Edwards  installed  as  its  pastor  the  same 
time,  viz.,  April,  1851,  and  the  meeting  house  was  called 
"Ebenezer,"  after  his  first  name. 

October  18,  185 1,  he  was  married  in  New  York  city  by 
the  Rev.  WilUam  R.  Williams,  D.  D.,  to  Miss  C.  S.  Ed- 
wards, daughter  of  Thomas  and  Catharine  Edwards,  of 
Pembroke,  Pembrokeshire,  Wales  and  soon  after  his  mar- 
riage he  left  Pittston  to  assume  the  pastorate  of  the  Welsh 
Baptist  Church  of  Cincinnati,  O.  During  his  pastorate  at 
Cincinnati  he  felt  a  strong  inclination  to  be  a  foreign  mis- 
sionary; hence  he  left  that  church  in  1852  or  1853  ^o^  Hamil- 
ton University  (now  Colgate),  New  York,  to  prepare  him- 
self for  the  foreign  field,  and  spent  four  years  and  a  half 
there,  and  after  he  had  finished  bis  course  there,  he  and 
Mrs.  Edwards  were  appointed  by  the  Board  in  Boston  to 
go  to  Nowgong,  Assam,  and  for  that  purpose  they  went  to 
Wales  to  bid  their  friends  farewell  intending  to  go  direct 
from  there  tO'  India,  but  in  the  meant-ime  the  Sepoy  War 
broke  out,  hence  they  were  advised  to  wait  until  the  war 
was  over.  For  that  reason  Mr.  Edwards  assumed  the  pas- 
torate at  Brynmawr  over  the  church  that  had  been  founded 
by  his  father.  On  account  of  his  health  he  move4.  to 
Llanelli,  Brecon,  and  during  this  pastorate  he  had  intended 
to  go  to  India,  but  the  health  of  Mrs.  Edwards  failed  now 
and  though  he  offered  to  go  alone  and  that  she  should  fol- 
low ham  when  her  health  would  permit,  he  was  advised  to 
wait  until  both  could  go  together,  hence  he  went  to  New- 
port to  start  a  mission,  and  here  was  stricken  with  facial 
paralysis,  and  advised  by  the  physician  not  to  go  for  two 
years,  therefore  he  gave  up  the  idea,  and  went  for  awhile 
to  Pembroke.  After  his  recovery  he  preached  for  a  time 
at  New  Milford,  Pembrokeshire,  Hartlepool,  England, 
where  he  labored  four  years  and  a  half;  whence  he  returned 
to  America  in  1868  and  settled  in  New  York  state.       This 


IS 

move  was  caused  by  the  illness  of  Mrs.  Edwards.  He 
served  Brewster,  Dykeman,  Croton,  Shelby  and  Webster  in 
New  York  and  then  came  to  Wilkes-Barre  in  1876  to  take 
charge  of  what  is  now  known  as  Meade  Street  Welsh  Bap- 
tist Church,  which  he  served  with  great  success  for  four 
years  and  then  in  November,  1880,  he  left  to  take  charge 
of  the  Coatsville  Baptist  Church.  From.  Coatsville  he  went 
to  M'ilesburg,  Pa.,  and  from  Milesburg  he  went  to  Florida, 
and  settled  on  a  piece  of  land  with  an  orange  grove.  He 
made  this  move  on  account  of  the  health  of  Mrs.  Edwards. 
He  returned  from  Florida  to  Kingston,  Pa.,  where  he  lab- 
oured as  a  missionary  for  two  years  at  Kingston  and  Ply- 
mouth, Pa. 

From  Kingston  he  moved  to  Minersville,  Pa.,  to  take 
charge  of  both  the  English  and  Welsh  churches,  where  he 
spent  the  last  eleven  years  of  his  active  ministry.  About 
three  years  ago  he  returned  to  Allentown,  Pa.,  in  order  to 
be  near  to  his  daughter,  wife  of  Professor  D.  E.  Miles,  who 
lived  in  Allentown  as  professor  of  music,  and  here  he  closed 
his  pilgrimage  and  entered  into  his  reward.  His  remains 
were  buried  at  Allentown,  January  29,  1901,  and  his  funeral 
services  were  conducted  by  his  pastor.  Rev.  W.  S.  Catlett,  as- 
sisted by  Revs.  Jacob  E.  Davis,  M.  A.,  of  Plymouth;  D.  E. 
Richards,  M.  D.,  of  Slatington;  J.  S.  Bromley,  of  Reading; 
O.  B.  Kinney,  of  Bethlehem,  and  a  layman  from  Plainfield, 
New  Jersey,  named  James  Parker,  whom  Ebenezer  Ed- 
wards had  baptized  at  Hartlepool,  England. 

The  life  of  Brother  Edwards  was  characterized  by  the 
strictest  devotion  to  ever^^thing  that  was  pure  and  ele- 
vating. 

Much  of  his  life  was  given  to  literary  matters,  especially 
to  competitions  m  prize  essays  at  the  Welsh  eisteddfods  and 
a  valuable  volume  might  be  made  of  his  prize  essays.  His 
essay  on  Welshmen  as  factors  in  the  formation  and  develop- 
ment of  the  United  States  Republic,  which  took  the  first 
prize  at  the  International  eisteddfod  at  the  World's  Fair, 
Chicago,  in  1893,  and  which  has  recently  been  published  by 
the  Drych  Press,  Utica,  N.  Y.,  will  live  for  ages  as  a  monu- 


i6 

ment  to  the  memory  of  the  author,  showing  the  greatness 
of  his  knowledge  of  the  early  days  of  the  repubHc.  When 
he  preached  at  Pittston,  April  14,  185 1,  his  subjects  were 
•'The  Path  of  the  Just/'  from  Psalms  4:18,  and  the  "Reward 
of  the  Faithful  Servant,"  from  Matt.  25:23.  I  believe  that 
he  now  realizes  the  full  meaning  of  those  beautiful  texts 
more  than  he  did  then. 

He  leaves  a  widow  one  daughter  and  a  granddaughter 
and  a  host  of  friends  to  mourn  his  loss.  "Blessed  are  the 
dead  who  die  in  the  Lord." 

The  above  article  was  published  in  one  of  the  Allen- 
town  papers  by  the  writer  after  the  funeral  by  request. 

P.  S.  Mr.  Edwards  was  struck  with  facial  paralysis 
vSunday  morning,  April  27,  1862,  when  he  was  preaching  at 
Newport,  Mon.,  and  the  following  August  had  to  give  up 
entirely. 

(See  biography  of  Rev.  E.  Thomas,  p.  45.) 


THE  REV.  JOHN  W.  JAMES. 

Mr.  James  was  the  first  settled  pastor  of  the  First 
Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  Scranton,  Pa.  He  was  a  native  of 
the  Rhondda  Valley,  born  in  18 19.  He  was  baptized  at 
Penuel  Rhymney  by  the  late  Rev.  Morgan  James.  From 
Rhymney  he  went  to  Aberaman,  Aberdare.  He  came  to 
America  from  Aberaman  and  settled  for  a  short  time  at  St. 
Clair,  Pa.,  and  in  1852  was  ordained  as  pastor  of  the  First 
Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  Scranton,  Pa.,  which  he  served 
succssfully  for  several  years.  He  was  the  first  Moderator 
of  the  Association.  After  his  departure  from  Scranton,  he 
served  Freedom  and  Remsen,  New  York,  Pittston,  Pa.,  and 
Mineral  Ridge,  Ohio,  where  he  died  March  30,  1885,  and 
was  buried  at  Warren,  Ohio,  April  7.  The  Rev.  George 
Hague  officiatel.  He  was  a  popular  preacher  and  highly 
respected  as  a  good  man. 


17 
THE  REV.  B.  E.  BOWEN. 

Mr.  Bowen  was  born  May  lo,  1810  at  a  place  called 
"Pen  Boreu  Bach"  in  Abergwili,  Wales.  He  began  his 
religious  life  at  the  age  of  13  years  among  the  Congrega- 
tionalists.  He  learned  the  trade  of  shoemaking.  When  a 
young  man  he  moved  to  Maesteg,  South  Wales.  In  183 1 
he  married  Dinah,  daughter  of  Jenkin  Lloyd  of  Wig  Gla- 
morganshire. In  1840  he  came  to  America  and  settled  in 
New  Jersey.  In  1845  or  6  he  moved  to  Minersville,  Pa., 
where  he  worked  at  his  trade  and  preached  as  a  local 
preacher  among  the  Congregationalists.  He  soon  left 
Minersville  for  Carbondale,  Pa.,  and  remained  there  five 
years,  and  then  moved  to  Pittston,  where  after  having  been 
convinced  of  24  the  unscripturalness  of  sprinkling  as  bap- 
tism, he  was  baptized  in  the  earlv  part  of  1852,  by  his 
brother,  the  Rev.  D.  E.  Bowen,  and  March  the  6th  the  same 
year  he  was  ordained  as  an  active  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Bap- 
tist Church  there.  He  remained  here  for  years,  though 
not  all  the  time  as  pastor.  The  last  sixteen  years  of  his 
life  were  spent  at  Olyphant,  Pa.,  where  he  worked  at  his 
trade,  and  preached  as  often  as  he  had  an  opportunity,  and 
where  he  ended  his  earthly  life.  June  26,  1881.  He  was 
buried  in  the  Washburn  St.  Cemetery,  Scranton,  Pa.  He 
left  a  widow,  tw^o  sons  and  one  daughter.  He  was  a  good 
man.  He  preached  much  from  Carbondale  to  Pittston,  and 
the  seed  sown  by  him  and  others  has  grown  into  churches. 
Revs.  John  P.  Harris,  Theophilus  Jones,  B.  W.  Thomas 
and  D.  Rhoslvn  Davies  officiated  at  his  funeral. 


THE  REV.  JOHN  EDRED  JONES. 

Mr.  Jones  was  a  native  of  Wales.  He  came  to  America 
in  1853  from  Goytre,  Monmouthshire.  He  was  the  third 
pastor  ol  the  Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  Pittston.  This 
statement  was  given  me  by  Mr.  Jacob  W.  Evans,  clerk  of 
the  church.     I  dont  know  the  exact  date,  but  he  must  have 


been  there  before  the  close  of  1853,  for  we  find  him  at  Cin- 
cinnati at  the  close  of  1853.  His  letter  from  Wales  proves 
this  which  reads  as  follows: — 

A  RECOMMENDATION  TO  THE  REV.  JOHN  E. 
JONES,  CINCINNATI. 

Monmouthshire,  June  30,  1858. 

"As  our  esteemed  brother,  the  Rev.  John  E.  Jones, 
minister  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Goytre  is  about  to  leave 
for  America,  we  the  undersigned  being  ministers  of  the 
Monmouthshire  Baptist  Association  desire  to  give  our 
strongest  and  warmest  recommendation  to  him  as  a  Christ- 
ian minister  to  the  notice  and  approbation  of  the  churches 
on  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic.  While  we  deeply  lament 
his  departure  from  this  association  in  which  he  was  a  minis- 
ter for  six  years,  we  earnestly  hope  and  trust  that  his  minis- 
terial labors  will  be  richly  blessed  for  the  conversion  of  sin- 
ners, and  the  edification  of  saints  wherever  he  may  be  led 
by  God's  providence. 

Wm.  Thomas,  Newport. 
Wm.  Roberts,  Blaenan. 
Edward  Roberts,  Bassaleg. 
Jas.  Rowe,  Risca. 
Evan  Jones,  Castleton. 

Letters  of  recommendation  were  written  also  by  the 
Rev.  Thomas  Thomas,  D.  D.,  President  of  Pontypool  Col- 
lege. The  Rev.  Evan  Thomas.  Cardig-an,  and  Mr.  R.  E. 
Rees,  a  deacon  at  Bethesda.  "I  certify  to  the  correctness 
of  the  above  recommendation  according  to  the  original 
manuscript.  We  are  pleased  to  see  that  Mr.  Jones  has 
come  to  stay  in  our  city,  and  we  trust  that  he  shall  have  a 
proper  reception  and  support  by  our  nation  in  general.." 

Yours,  etc., 

Thomas  Ekiwards, 


^9 

Cincinnati,  Dec.  i,  1853. 

(See  "The  Western  Star"  for  Jan.,  1854.) 

From  the  above  we  see  that  he  came  to  America  from 
Goytre,  Mon,  Wales,  and  that  he  was  at  Cincinnati  before 
the  close  of  1853,  hence  he  could  not  have  been  only  a  few 
months  at  most  in  Pittston.  During  his  pastorate  at  Cin- 
cinnati, he  translated  a  small  volume  from  the  English  to 
the  Welsh  entitled — 

"THREE  REASONS  WHY  I  AM  A  BAPTIST." 

By  the  Rev.  J.  M.  Pendleton,  D.  D.  This  is  a  very 
able  work.  Not  a  better  book  on  the  subject  can  be  found 
in  any  language  to  put  in  the  hands  of  inquirers  for  the 
truth.  After  his  departure  from  Cincinnati  we  find  him  at 
Utica,  New  York,  from  1857  to  1865,  and  later  during  a 
second  pastorate  we  find  him  at  Utica  as  successor  to  the 
Rev.  H.  G.  James  in  1876.  After  years  of  separation  from 
this  association,  he  returned  in  1883  and  assumed  the  pas- 
toral care  of  the  Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  Pittston,  Sept. 
2,  1883  and  remained  here  until  he  finished  his  work  with 
joy  Oct.  2,  1885.  He  was  buried  at  Pittston.  All  the  ex- 
penses were  pa-id  by  the  church,  and  on  his  coffin  they 
placed  the  inscription  "Our  Beloved  Pastor,"  which  shows 
the  manner  in  which  his  church  loved  him.  From  this  we 
see  that  he  began  his  American  life  at  Pittston  in  1853,  ^"^ 
entered  h-is  heavenly  home  from  Pittston  in  1885. 


THE  REV.  W.  R.  JONES. 

Mr.  Jones  was  a  native  of  Llanelli  Breconshire.  He 
and  his  family  came  to  America  in  1840,  and  settled  as  far 
as  I  can  find  out  somewhere  in  Schuylkill  Co.,  Pa.  He  was 
ordained  at  Blossburg,  Tioga  Co.,  Pa.,  April  i,  1852. 
Revs.  Chase,  George  W.  Stone  and  C.  Beebe  officiating. 
See  "Western  Star"  for  May,  1852.  He  left  Blossburg  for 
Summit  Hill  prior  to  1855,  and  was  the  second  pastor  and 


20 

laboured  threre  for  years  with  much  success  and  respect. 
lie  was  there  in  1859  for  July  3d  of  that  year  he  baptized 
the  first  candidates  of  Slatington,  Pa.,  viz.,  Ellis  Owens 
and  wife,  and  his  sister  Catherine  P.  Williams,  and  thus 
planted  the  Slatington  Baptist  Church  as  a  branch  of  Sum- 
mit Hill.  After  his  departure  from  Summ-it  Hill,  he  served 
Broad  Top,  Houtzdale  and  other  places  in  Pennsylvania 
and  Weathersfield  and  other  places  in  Ohio.  .Several 
years  before  his  death  he  moved  to  his  children  toi  Alliance. 
Ohio,  where  he  died  very  suddenly  in  June,  1894,  aged 
74  years  and  10  months  and  where  also  he  was  buried  June 
5,  1894.  His  widow  died  at  North  Lawrence,  Ohdo,  aged 
80  years,  and  was  buried  by  the  side  of  her  beloved  hus- 
band at  Alliance.  She  was  baptized  by  the  late  Rev.  Wm. 
Morgans,  Pottsville.  Great  respect  was  shown  to  each  of 
them  during  life  and  death. 


THE  REV.  THEOPHILUS  JONES. 

Mr.  Jones  was  born  at  Caerphili,  South  Wales,  Jan.. 
1810.  He  was  converted  when  quite  young  at  the  same 
place  under  the  ministry  of  Christmas  Evans  and  baptized 
by  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Williams  in  the  absence  of  pastor  C. 
Evans.  He  began  to  preach  there  in  183 1.  He  spent 
three  years  at  the  Abergavenny  Baptist  Church,  1833-1836. 
Pie  was  ordained  as  pastor  of  the  churches  of  Bwlch-y- 
gwynt  and  Bwlchnewydd  Caermarthenshire.  He  came  to 
America  in  1843,  ^^d  after  supplying  the  First  Baptist 
Church  of  Williamsburg,  New  York,  he  accepted  the  pas- 
toral care  of  the  Wekh  Baptist  Church  of  New  York  City. 
After  his  departure  from;  New  York,  he  was  pastor  of  Mar- 
cus Hook  and  Nant — mel.  Pa.,  and  in  1859  he  settled  as 
pastor  of  the  First  Welsh  Baptist  of  Scranton,  then  on 
Miflin  Ave.  During  his  life  time  he  laboured  also  at  Al- 
denville,  Pa.,  Hubbard,  Ohio,  Mahanoy  City  and  Wilkes- 
Barre,  where  he  ended  his  course  Feb.  13,  1896,  and  where 
he  was  buried. 


21 

For  years  before  his  death  he  had  no  stated  charge. 

Space  would  not  permit  me  to  write  what  I  know  of 
him  and  what  1  would  like.  He  was  looked  upon  by  all 
who  knew  him  as  one  of  the  ablest  preachers  of  the  nation, 
and  was  highly  esteemed  by  his  brethren.  There  is  one 
fact  I  wish  to  mention  here.  When  he  was  pastor  at  Al- 
denville,  Pa.,  he  preached  one  Sunday  mirmng  on  ''Almost 
Persuade,"  the  immortal  P.  P.  Bliss  was  at  the  meeting, 
and  was  so  impressed  by  the  sermon,  that  he  composed  that 
sweet  hymn  that  afternoon  "Almost  Persuaded." 

See  lorthryn  Gwynedd  y  Hist,  of  the  Welsh  in  Ameri- 
ca, p.  149  and  "The  Dawn"  for  April,  1896,  for  more  elab- 
orate articles. 


REV.  P.  L    DAVIES,  M.  A. 

Mr.  Davies  was  a  native  of  Blaenau,  Mon.,  Wales, 
born  about  1834,  where  he  was  baptized  in  his  boyhood 
days  by  the  late  Rev.  Wm.  Roberts,  LL.  D.,  (Nefydd).  He 
came  to  America  when  quite  young  and  settled  at  Five 
Points,  Pa.,  where  he  began  to  preach  under  the  ministry 
of  the  beloved  Wm.  Morgans,  Pottsville.  After  having 
spent  a  few  years  at  Bucknell  University  he  was  ordained 
at  Olyphant,  Pa.,  1859  as  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Baptist 
Churches  of  Olyphant  and  Carbondale.  He  only  remained 
one  year  in  the  Welsh  ministry  before  he  entered  the  Eng- 
Hsh  Ministry  at  Camden,  New  Jersey.  He  died  at  Cam- 
den in  1875,  aged  41.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  pas- 
tor of  the  Berean  Baptist  Church,  New  York  City.  Soon 
after  his  death  a  memorial  meeting  was  held  at  the  Welsh 
Calvinistic  Methodist  Church,  13th  street,  New  York  City, 
Aug.  12,  187s,  when  the  Rev.  John  Edred  Jones  then  of 
Utica,  N.  Y.,  delivered  the  memorial  address.  See  it  in 
"The  Dawn,"  1876.  215.  It  is  an  excellent  address.  Al- 
though Mr.  Davies  laboured  only  about  one  year  in  the 
Welsh  ministry,  yet,  he  was  very  highly  honoured  and  re- 
spected by  his  Welsh  brethren  on  account  of  the  excellency 


of  his  chiristian  character  and  ability  as  a  preacher.  When 
I  was  a  student  at  Crozer  Senninary,  Mr.  Davies  was  pastor 
at  Camden,  N.  J.,  and  I  often  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting 
him. 

See  an  article  in  "The  Dawn,"  1882,  p.  9,  by  the  Rev. 
D.  W.  Morris. 


THE  REV.  E.  OLIVER. 

It  seems  that  Mr.  Oliver  was  a  native  of  Swyddffynon, 
North  Wales.  The  Rev.  J.  .Spinther  James,  M.  A.,  in  his 
history  of  the  Welsh  Baptists,  says  that  he  began  to  preach 
at  Swyddffynon  in  1823,  and  was  ordained  there  April  25, 
1827  in  order  to  serve  the  weak  churches.  Soon  after  that 
he  left  there  to  take  charge  of  Nebo  Penycae,  Mon.,  South 
Wales  at  its  organization  Sept.  11,  1827.  He  came  to 
America  and  was  pastor  at  Summit  Hill,  Po.,  an  i860  and 
in  Jan.,  1862  settled  at  Pittston  and  served  it  a  few  years. 
Mr.  Jacob  W.  Evans  of  Pittston  says  that  his  name  is  very 
dear  to  him,  because  he  was  the  one  whO'  convinced  him  of 
the  scripturalness  of  immersion  as  the  proper  mode  of  bap- 
tism. (■'"Tile  Dawn,"  April,  1883.)  He  returned  to  Wales 
in  1865  and  ended  his  earthly  life  at  Dowlais,  March  22, 
1869.  See  Hist.  Welsh  B.,  bv  Sprinther,  Vol.  HI,  p.  415- 
16.  > 


THE  REV.  ISAIAH  DAVIES. 

Mr.  Davies  settled  as  pastor  of  the  First  Welsh  Baptist 
Church,  Scranton  in  Nev.,  1861. 

He  was  ordained  at  Briton  Ferry,  Wales,  May  22-23, 
1854.  The  Revs.  Dr.  Thomas  Pontypool,  John  Rowlands 
Cwmavon,  J.  R.  Morgan,  (Lleurwg),  Aberavon,  David 
Thomas,  Aberavon,  T.  Francis  Neath,  and  D.  Davies  of- 
ficiated. "Western  Star,"  Aug.,  1854.  From  Briton  Ferry 
he  went  to  the  Temple     Church,     Newport,     Mon.,     from 


2j  , 

whence  he  came  to  America  in  the  early  part  of  1861,  and 
settled  for  a  few  months  at  Mineral  Ridge,  Ohio,  whence 
he  was  called  to  the  First  Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  Scran- 
ton  in  the  latter  part  of  1861 ;  and  in  1863  he  returned  to 
Mineral  R-idge,  Ohio.  He  died  several  years  ago  in 
Thomastown,  (I  think),  Ohio.  For  several  years  before  he 
died  he  had  no  charge. 


THE  REV.  JOHN  ROBERTS.     (Roberts  Fawr.) 

Mr.  Roberts  was  a  native  of  Llanefydd,  North  Wales. 
He  was  a  son  of  the  Wl0r.  Rt.  Roberts  of  Llanefydd,  and 
his  mother's  name  was  Gaynor.  John  Roberts  was  raised 
by  his  uncle,  Ellis  Owen,  Cefnmeusydd,  his  mother's  bro- 
ther. He  left  Ellis  Owen  for  Pembrokeshire,  and  taught 
school  for  a  while  at  Bethabara,  where  it  is  said  he  began 
to  preach.  He  was  ordained  at  Llanrwst,  Feb.  11,  1829. 
During  his  pastoral  life  he  served  besides  Llanrwst,  Tre- 
degar, Rhosllanerchrhugg,  Liverpool,  Llangefin  Taber- 
nacle Merthys  Pyle,  Brynmawr,  Wales,  and  Minersville, 
Pennsylvania,  where  he  died  March  3,  1863,  aged  56  years, 
and  where  also  he  was  buried.  In  his  day,  he  was  regarded 
as  the  most  eloquent  and  popular  preacher  of  Wales, 
most  eloquent  and  popular  preacher  of  Wales. 

The  late  Rev.  B.  Thomas,  (Myfyr  Emlyn),  composed 
one  of  his  most  masterly  poems  in  honor  to  his  memory 
which  was  suggested  when  on  a  visit  to  his  grave  in  1882, 
the  poem  has  been  pubHshed  with  his  poetical  works.  The 
writer  has  a  pecular  attachment  to  Roberts  as  he  was  his 
spiritual  father  and  the  one  who  baptized  him  at  Pisgah 
Pyle,  May  20,  1859,  and  at  the  same  time  he  baptized  the 
Rev.  A.  Williams,  who  has  been  pastor  of  Nebo  Mstrad 
Rhondda  for  more  than  twenty  years. 

(See  Hist.  Welsh  Baptist  by  Spinther,  Vol.  HI,  p.  455 
and  "The  Sunday  School  Star"  for  January,  1901.) 


H 
tHE  REV.  A.  J.  MORTON. 

Mr.  Morton  was  born  March  14,  1836,  near  Llan- 
faircaerinion,  in  Montg'orneryshire,  North  Wales.  His 
parents  were  John  and  Mary  Morton.  He  was  baptized 
when  quite  young  at  Llanfyllin  by  the  Rev.  John  Roberts 
He  was  the  first  of  the  Morton  family  to  be  baptized.  In 
1853  he  went  to  Dowlais,  South  Wales,  where  he  began  to 
preach  and  from  whence  he  went  tO'  Pontypool  College. 
The  late  Rev.  Fred  Evans,  D.  D.,  was  one  of  his  class 
mates.  In  i860  he  was  ordained  as  pastor  of  the  Zion 
Church,  Bryn  Mawr.  On  November  18,  i860,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Mary  A.  Morgan,  daughter  of  Henry  and 
Mary  Morgan,  at  Monmouth,  Monmouthshire.  She 
proved  a  true  helpmeet  to  him  until  the  day  of  his  death, 
and  IS  still  living  at  Kingston,  Pa.  In  1863,  he  and  his 
family  came  to  America  and  settled  at  Summit  Hill.  For 
fifteen  years  he  laboured  at  Summit  Hill,  Upper  Lehigh, 
Slatington,  Lansford,  and  other  places  in  this  district.  In 
1879  he  left  Slatington  for  Pittsburg  to  take  charge  of  the 
Chatham  St.  Church  there.  After  he  left  Pittsburg,  he 
served  Paris,  Pomeroy  and  Palmyra,  Ohio.  In  June,  1886, 
he  returned  to  Pennsylvania  tO'  take  charge  of  the  Imman- 
uel  Baptist  Church  at  Edwardsdile.  After  his  departure 
from  this  church  he  served  the  Pittston  Churches,  Welsh 
and  English,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred 
February  13,  1899,  he  was  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Baptist 
Church,  Edwardsdale,  Pa.  He  was  buried  at  the  Forty 
Fort  cemetary  on  February  16,  1899. 

In  his  day  Mr.  Morton  was  looked  upon  as  one  of  the 
leading  ministers  of  the  Association,  both  as  a  preacher  and 
as  a  v;riter.    ■ 

Four  of  his  children  are  members  of  the  Immanuel 
Church,  Miss  Elizabeth  Morton,  M'iss  Jennie  Morton,  Miss 
Annie  Morton,  who  teaches  at  Scotland,  Pa.,  and  Anselm 
Morton,  who  is  a  Mechanical  and  Civil  Engineer  at  Bdrm- 
ingham,  Alabama. 


25 

He  also  has  another  son,  Allan  B.  Morton,  who  is  Pro- 
fessor at  the  School  of  Technology,  Atlanta,  Georgia.  He 
has  a  daughter  at  Wyoming,  Pa.,  Mrs.  Winifred  Hutchins. 
wife  of  Mr.  Richard  Hutchins,  and  another  at  Brooklyn, 
Mrs.  Mary  McCarthy.  He  also  has  one  brother  by  the 
same  mother.  Deacon  Thomas  Evans  of  Freeland,  Pa.,  who 
is  one  of  the  pillars  of  the  Bethel  Baptdst  Church  there,  and 
who  alsoi  has  seven  children,  Thomas,  William,  Elizabeth, 
Mary,  Beatrice,  Arthur,  and  Allan  Morton  Evans.  The 
latter  is  named  after  his  uncle. 


THE  REV.  F.  EVANS,  D.  D.,  (Eduyfed.) 

Dr.  Evans  was  born  at  Llandybie,  Caermarthenshire, 
Wales,  April  21,  1840.  H-is  parents  were:  William  and 
Nellie  Evans.  He  was  one  of  ten  children,  five  sons  and 
five  daughters,  the  five  sons  became  preachers,  viz: — Fred, 
John,  George,  Gwilym,  and  Thomas.  The  first  three  are 
dead.  Gwilym  is  at  Port  Chester.  New  York  at  this  date. 
(Dec,  1903),  and  Thomas  at  Clydach,  Glamorganshire, 
Wales.  He  was  converted  and  baptized  in  early  life  at 
Ebenezer  Amanford  by  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Thomas.  He 
began  to  preach  at  the  age  of  16  years,  and  was  educated 
at  Pontypool  under  Dr.  Thomas  Thomas,  and  in  June,  1861 
he  was  ordained  as  pastor  of  Llang^aiidr  Baptist  Church, 
at  Llangynidr,  Breconshire,  Wales,  and  here  also  he  was 
married  to  Miss  F.  W*illiams,  daughter  of  Mr.  John  Wil- 
liams, Pointycreuddyn.  After  having  spent  five  happy  and 
prosperous  years  at  this  place  he  came  to  America,  and  set- 
lied  as  pastor  of  the  First  Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  Scran- 
ton  in  the  Fall  of  1866.  In  the  Fall  of  1869  he  left  Scranton 
to  take  charge  of  the  Laight  St.  now  Central  Church,  New 
York.  In  December,  1874,  he  left  New  York  for 
Frankl-in,  Pa.,  which  he  served  until  March,  1885,  ex- 
cept one  year,  1880-1881,  which  he  spent  with  the  Salem 
Church,  Maesteg,  Wales.  In  March,  1885  he  took  charge 
of  the  Tenth  Baptist  Church,  Philadelphia,   Pa.,  and   re- 


26 

mained  until  Dec,  1892  when  he  accepted  a  call  from  the 
First  Baptist  Church  at  Milwaukee,  Wis.  He  served  th-is 
church  until  Jan.,  1896  when  he  was  compelled  to  resign  on 
account  of  ill  health  and  return  to  his  native  home  in  Wales 
where  he  died  in  July  21,  1897,  and  was  burded  at  Amman- 
ford. He  left  a  widow  and  seven  children,  an  aged  father, 
two  brothers,  one  sister,  and  hosts  of  friends  on  both  sides 
of  the  ocean  to  mourn  his  loss. 

October  27,  1902,  a  beautiful  monument  was  unveiled 
at  his  grave  which  had  been  raised  at  the  expense  of  friends 
in  America  and  Wales.  Dr.  Evans  was  one  of  the  most 
noted  Baptist  ministers  of  his  day;  "being  endowed  by  na- 
ture with  a  fine  physical  appearance,  and  mental  powers  of 
a  high  order,  he  was  a  noble  representative  of  true  man- 
hood. His  ready  wit,  poetical  genius,  literary  attainments, 
and  his  enthusiastic  spirit  endeared  him  to  his  nation,  and 
won  for  him  a  memory  that  will  be  always  charished  with 
fondness  and  pride.  As  a  preacher  and  lecturer  he  was 
famous,  his  thrilling  eloquence  moving  his  hearers  to  tears 
and  laughter.  As  conductor  of  Eisteddfoddau  he  had  no 
superior.  t 

Such  is  the  description  given  of  him  by  the  Welsh  St. 
David's  Society  of  Philadelphia  in  their  resolutions  which 
they  adopted  in  honor  to  his  memory,  Dec.  6,  1897." 

In  1899  a  "Memorial  Volume"  was  pubHshed  by  his 
widow,  Mrs.  F.  Evans,  made  of  articles  by  a  number  of  his 
friends  under  the  editorialship  of  the  Rev.  B.  D.  Thomas, 
D.  D.,  of  Toronto,  to  which  we  refer  the  reader  for  the  de- 
tails of  his  life. 


REV.  O.  GRIFFITHS.     (Giraldus.) 

Mr.  Griffiths  was  born  at  Tanybraich,  Garndolben- 
maen.  North  Wales  in  1832.  He  was  baptized  when  he  was 
13  years  old  at  Garndolbenmaen.  At  the  age  of  30  years 
he  entered  Haverfordwest  College,  and  at  the  close  of  his 
college  course  he  was  ordained  as  pastor  of  Moriah  Risca, 


27 

Mon,  Wales  where  he  had  a  very  successful  pastorate.  In 
1866  he  came  to  America,  and  in  Feb.,  1867  he  settled  as 
pastor  of  the  Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  Minersville,  Pa.,  as 
successor  to  the  Rev.  J  Spinther  James,  M.  A.  Nov.,  1869, 
he  was  married  to  M-iss  Hannah  Jones,  Remsen,  N.  Y. 
After  his  resig^nation  at  Minersville,  he  attended  Crozer 
Theological  Seminary  for  one  year,  and  in  1872  he  and  his 
family  settled  at  Utica,  N.  Y.,  and  from  that  time  until  his 
death  he  gave  humself  chiefly  to  literary  work. 

During  his  life  time  he  published  valuable  works,  viz. — 
"Above  and  Around,"  "The  Gallery  of  the  Welsh  Maptist 
Ministers  of  America"  in  1883 — "Nine  Months  in  Wales," 
1886.  "The  TwO'  Ordinances,"  later,  but  his  chief  literary 
monument  is  "Y.  Wawr"  (The  Dawn),  a  monthly  Baptist 
magazine  from  1876  to  1896.  He  was  also  noted  as  a 
poet.  After  a  painful  illness  of  about  six  weeks  he  died  at 
St.  Elizabeth  Hospital,  Utica,  N.  Y.,  May  14,  1896,  aged  63 
years,  leaving  a  wodow,  one  daughter  and  thousands  of 
friends  to  mourn  his  loss.    He  was  buried  at  Utica. 

When  Mr.  Griffiths  died  I  think  that  I  can  safely  say 
that  the  Welsh  Baptists  of  America  lost  their  most  useful 
servant  as  was  expressed  by  the  many  declarations  made 
by  leading  men.  ' 

(See  "The  Dawn"  for  1896  for  details.) 

Since  the  death  of  Mr.  Griffiths  the  Welsh  Baptists  of 
America  have  been  without  a  periodical,  the  Dawn  only 
lived  a  few  months  after  the  death  of  its  editor  and  proprie- 
tor, which  proves  how  much  the  Welsh  Baptists  depended 
on  him  and  owed  him. 


REV.  JOHN  EVANS,  M.  A. 

Mr.  Evans  was  a  brother  of  the  late  Dr.  Fred  Evans. 
He  was  born  at  Llandybie,  Dec.  23,  1843.  He  was  con- 
verted and  began  to  preach  when  quite  young.  He  was 
pastor  for  a  few  years  at  Talybont,  Wales.    Prior  to  his  or- 


28 

dination  he  attended  "The  Reck  Academy,  Swansea  and 
Pontypool  College.  He  came  to  America  in  the  year  1867, 
and  settled  as  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  Provi- 
dence, Pennsylvania  where  he  remained  for  two  years.  In 
t868  he  was  married  tO'  Miss  Esther  Hughes,  daughter  of 
the  late  Deacon  B.  Hughes  of  Hyde  Park,  superintendent 
of  D.,  L.  &  W.  Co.  About  the  close  of  1869  or  the  be- 
ginning of  1870  he  went  to  Crozer  Theological  Seminary, 
and  after  having  spent  a  year  there,  he  accepted  a  call  from 
Lancaster,  Pa.  From  Lancaster,  Pa.,  he  went  to  Chester, 
Connecticut.  In  April,  1875,  he  moved  to.  Westerly  Rhode 
Island.  In  1883  he  accepted  a  call  from  the  Herkimer  St. 
Baptist  Church,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  after  seven  years  suc- 
cessful ministry  here,  he  took  charge  of  the  Welsh  Baptist 
Church  of  New  York,  and  in  April,  1892.  he  received  and 
accepted  a  second  call  from  Westerly  Rhode  Island,  and 
remained  until  his  death  which  occurred  March  22,  1897. 
The  Sunday  before,  viz.  the  21st  he  had  preached  and  in  the 
evening  he  baptized  two;  after  the  services  he  was  taken 
sick  at  the  church  and  had  to  be  taken  home  in  a  carriage, 
and  on  Monday  evening  his  spirit  went  to  God.  Thus 
ended  the  earthly  life  of  this  excellent  man.  He  was  a  good 
man,  an  able  preacher,  and  a  fa'ithful  and  successful  pas- 
tor. He  was  buried  with  great  honors,  March  26  at  the 
River  Bend  Cemetery,  R.  I.  He  left  a  widow,  three  daugh- 
ters, one  son,  three  brothers,  an  aged  father,  a  sister  and 
many  friends  tO'  mourn  his  loss. 

In  July,  1896,  he  visited  the  writer  at  Freeland,  Pa., 
and  we  had  arranged  to  visit  Wales  in  1897  in  order  to  see 
his  brother  Fred  as  he  called  him,  who  was  then  sick  at 
his  home  at  Llandybie,  he  was  very  anxious  to  see  .him, 
but  it  was  not  to  be  so,  John  died  in  March  and  Fred  in 
July  of  the  same  year  1897. 

"Man  proposes,  but  God  disposes." 


i9 

REV.  B.  W.  THOMAS. 

Mr.  Thomas  was  a  native  of  Rhynmey,  Wales.  He 
was  baptized  at  Pennel  by  the  late  Rev.  D.  R.  Jones,  and 
began  to  preach  there  and  was  educated  at  Haverford 
West  College,  Wales.  He  settled  at  Ashland,  Pa.,  in  1863. 
He  left  Ashland  for  Bucknell  University,  and  from  the 
University  he  accepted  a  call  to  Milton,  Pa.,  -in  1867.  He 
left  Milton  for  Milesburg,  and  from  Milesburg  he  went  to 
Johnstown,  Pa.,  where  he  had  cliarge  of  the  English 
Church.  In  1871  he  came  to  Scranton  and  founded  the 
Jackson  Street  Baptist  Church.  In  August,  1883,  he  came 
to  Edwardsdale.  There  he  assumed  the  pastorate  of  the 
Welsh  Baptist  Church,  and  on  Oct.  25,  1885,  he  received 
and  accepted  a  call  from  the  Immanuel  Baptist  Church,  and 
thus  became  its  first  pastor.  In  the  spring  of  1886  he  went 
to  Freedom,  New  York,  and  within  two  years  he  returned 
to  the  English  Church  at  Plymouth,  Pa.  From  Plymouth 
he  went  tO'  Denver,  Colorado,  for  the  benefit  of  his  health, 
and  there  he  died  about  the  close  of  the  year  1893.  Mr. 
Thomas  was  an  excellent  preacher,  I  have  no  knowledge  of 
his  family. 

The  Jackson  St.  Church  referred  to  above  was  founded 
by  brother  B.  W.  Thomas  in  June,  1871,  with  seven  mem- 
bers. Its  first  meeting  house  was  dedicated  June  22,  1877, 
when  they  had  nearly  200  mem.bers.  The  lot  cost  $3,000.00. 


REV.  W.  D.  MORGAN. 

Mr.  Morgan  was  a  native  of  Aberavon,  Wales,  where 
he  was  baptized,  and  where  he  began  to  preach.  He  was 
educated  at  Pontypool  College,  Wales.  He  came  to  Amer- 
ica about  the  year  1867  and  settled  for  about  two  years  at 
Hyde  Park  where  he  was  engaged  in  different  kinds  of  se- 
cular work  until  1869,  when  he  received  a  call  from  the  new- 
ly organized  Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  Plymouth,  Pa.,  as  its 
first  pastor.     After  having  served  Plymouth  a  few  years,  he 


30 

accepted  a  call  from  the  Baptist  Church  of  Catasauqua,  Pa. 
He  left  Catasauqua  in  1875  for  Chester,  Connecticut,  and  in 
the  spring  of  1877  ^^^  settled  with  the  Tliird  Church,  North 
Stomngton,  Connecticut;  here  he  was  thrown  from  a  car- 
riage and  instantly  killed,  May  7,  1878,  aged  34  years. 


REV.  T.  G.  JONES. 

Mr.  Jones  was  a  native  of  Tredegar,  Wales.  He  was 
born  May  5,  1840.  He  was  baptized  when  only  nine  years 
of  age  by  the  late  Rev.  Evan  Thomas.  He  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  1868  and  settled  at  Hyde  Park,  and  in  1870  he  was 
ordained  as  the  first  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Baptist  Church 
of  Taylor,  Pa.  He  died  at  Hyde  Park,  Feb.  21,  1894. 
(For  details  see  "The  Dawn,"  1895,  p.  143.) 


REV.  CHARLES  JONES,  M.  A. 

Mr.  Jones  was  a  native  of  Montgomeryshire,  North 
Wales,  where  he  was  born  Jan.  8,  1836.  When  a  yoimg  man 
he  mover  from  North  Wales  to  Penydarren,  South  Wales, 
where  he  worked  in  the  mines.  From  Penydarren  he  came 
to  Hdye  Park,  Pennsylvania,  in  the  year  1861.  He 
was  converted  and  baptized  by  the  late  Rev.  Isaiah  Davies 
who  was  the  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  Scran- 
ton.  He  began  to  preach  in  1865  at  the  same  church  under 
the  ministry  of  the  late  Rev.  John  P.  Harris  (leuan  Ddu). 
At  that  time  the  church  had  no  meeting  house  in  Hyde 
Park  as  they  had  sold  the  one  they  had  in  Scranton;  the 
Sunday  services  were  held  in  Fellows'  Hall,  and  the  week 
evening  services  were  held  at  the  homes  of  the  members, 
hence  Mr.  Jones  preached  his  second  trial  sermon  at  the 
writer's  home  on  what  is  now  Eynon  St.,  from  John  14. 
19.  "Be  cause  I  l-ive,  ye  shall  live  also."  In  the  fall  of 
1866  he  went  to  Bucknell  University,  and  graduated  with 
honours     in     1871.       He  took  his  wife  and  child,  Hannah 


3i 

Moriah,  and  they  kept  house  at  Lewisbiirg  during  his  en- 
tire course.  He  was  ordained  at  Morris  Run,  Pa.,  im- 
mediately after  his  graduation.  The  late  Revs.  John  P. 
Harris  and  Theophilus  Jones  officiated.  After  his  depart- 
ure from  Morris  Run,  he  served  Coalburg,  Mineral  Ridge, 
New  Straitsville  and  Paris,  Ohio;  Taylor,  Slatington  and 
Nanticoke,  Pa.,  where  he  died  triumphantly  April  17,  1900, 
and  April  21  he  was  buried  in  Washburn  St.  Cemetery, 
Scranton,  Pa.  The  funeral  was  in  charge  of  the  writer,  and 
the  following  m-inisters  took  part  at  the  church  at  Nanti- 
coke: D.  Philips,  W.  F.  Davies,  T.  C.  Edwards,  D.  D., 
(Cong.),  J.  P.  Thomas,  (Cong.),  R.  E.  Williams,  D.  D. 
Hopkins,  and  George  Hague  and  D.  C.  Edwards  at  the 
grave.  Bro.  Jones  was  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the  na- 
tion, as  a  christian,  a  student,  a  preacher  and  pastor.  At 
the  time  of  his  death  he  was  the  Moderator  of  the  Associa- 
tion. He  left  a  widow,  one  daughter  one  brother  and  one 
sister,  and  many  friends  to  mourn  his  loss. 


REV.  BENJAMIN  NICHOLAS. 

Mr.  Nicholas  was  born  in  Merthyr  Tydvil,  Wales,  Dec. 

25,   1826.       He  was  baptized  when  18  years  old  at  Zion 

Church,  Merthyr  by  the  late  Rev.  John  Jones.     At  the  age 

of  19  years  be  came  to  America  and  settled  for  a  while  at 

Minersville,  Pa.     He  returned  to^  Merthyr,  and  remained 

there  two  years,  and  in  1855  he  was  ordained  at  Zion,  and 

returned  to  America  the  sam^e  year  and  settled  as  pastor  of 

the  Welsh  Baptist  Church  at  Eloomsburg,  Pa.,  and  was  in- 

mstrumental  in  building  a  meeting  house  there.     After  his 

removal  from  Bloomsburg  he  preached  at  several  places, 

Jeddo,   Mahanoy   City,   Ashland,   etc.     He   spent   bis   last 

years  at  Hazleton,  Pa.,  where  he  died  August  27,  1892,  and 

where  he  was  buried  August  30.     ("The  Dawn,"  1892,  p. 

305-) 

Bro.  Nicholas  was  greatly  beloved  by  his  brethren.    He 

left  a  wodow  and   several  children  and   many  friends  to 

mourn  his  loss. 


32 

REV.  EDWARD  JENKINS. 

Mr.  Jenkins  was  born  Dec.  4,  1829  at  Coed  Duon, 
(Black  Woods),  Bedwellty  parish,  Monmouthshire,  Wales. 
He  was  a  son  of  William  and  Margaret  Jenkins.  He  was 
raised  at  a  place  called  Gellihab,  about  eight  miles  below 
Rhymney.  He  was  baptized  at  Caerphili  in  Sept.,  1848,  by 
the  Rev.  Daniel  Jones.  August  24,  1850  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Sarah  Thomas,  and  after  their  marriage,  both  uni- 
ted by  letters  with  the  Hengoed  Church.  Soon  after  uni- 
ting with  the  Hengoied  Church,  he  began  to  preach  in  1851, 
at  the  request  of  the  eminent  Dr.  John  Jenkins  their  pas- 
tor, and  his  able  assistant  the  Rev.  Daniel  Rees.  He  was 
to  preach  at  Hengoed  and  its  different  brances,  viz. — 
Pengam,  Ysgwydd  Gwyn  Cwm  Felin,  Berthlwyd,  Bedwas 
and  other  places,  etc.,  but  in  the  month  of  March,  1852,  he 
and  his  famdly  came  tO'  America,  and  settled  at  St.  Clair,  Pa. 
Dr.  Jenkins  wrote  a  letter  to  the  Rev.  Wm.  Morgans,  Potts- 
ville  who  had  alsoi  charge  of  St.  Clair,  in  which  he  highly 
recommended  Jenkins  as  an  excellent  man,  and  as  one  who 
had  begun  tO'  preach,  and  as  one  worthy  of  all  eincourage- 
ments.  After  his  settlement  at  St.  Clair  he  met  with  sever- 
al adverse  circumstances  through  affHcitions  in  the  homie, 
yet  he  continued  to  preach,  as  often  as  he  could.  From  St. 
Clair  they  moved  to  Bloomsburg,  Pa.,  where  at  that  time 
there  was  a  Welsh  Baptist  Church  with  85  members,  and 
where  at  the  close  of  1855 at  the  request  of  the  church, he  be- 
gan to  preach  in  public  and  in  the  month  of  May,  1856  the 
quarterly  meeting  of  the  association  was  held  here  when  the 
Revs.  Evans,  Carbondale;  Wm.  R-ichmond,  Blakely;  Wm. 
Morgans,  Pottsville;  John  P.  Harris,  Minersville;  B. 
Bowen,  Pittston;  John  James,  Scranton,  were  present,  and 
after  having  heard  Jenkins  preach  they  passed  a  resolution, 
granting  him  liberty  to  preach  wherever  God  called  him. 
From  Bloomsburg  he  moved  to  Carbondale  soon  after  the 
quarterly  meeting  in  1856.  He  remained  here  until  April, 
1859,  when  he  received  a  call  from  Tremont,  Pa.,  where  he 
was  ordainied  in  August,  1859,  when  the  Revs.  Wm.  Mor- 


33 

gans  and  Edwards,  Pottsville;  John  P.  Harris,  M'inersville, 
and  D.  Evans,  Danville,  officiated.  His  field  here  included 
Frostburg,  Sweet  Arrow  and  Tremont.  This  was  a  very 
happy  and  prosperous  period  in  his  life,  and  he  always  loved 
to  refer  to  it.  He  moved  from  Pennsylvania  to  Olwo,  and 
served  Weathersfield,  Cincinnatti  and  Coalburg,  then  after 
sO'me  years  in  Ohio,  he  returned  to  Pennsylvania,  and  was 
pastor  of  Plymouth  and  Olyphant  for  several  years;  then  he 
returned  again  to  Ohio'  either  dn  1878  or  9,  and  became  pas- 
tor of  Parisville,  from  Parisville  to  Niles,  OhiO'  and  from 
Niles  to  South  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.  He  was  also  for  a  short 
time  at  Mahanoy  Gity.  For  several  years  before  his  death 
he  had  retired  from  the  stated  pastorate,  but  supplied  dif- 
ferent churches  as  he  had  opportunity.  He  was  one  of  the 
most  active  and  faithful  ministers  of  the  Welsh  Baptists. 
He  travelled  thousands  of  miles  tO'  raise  money  to  build 
meeting  houses,  and  to  pay  the  debts  of  others.  He  en- 
dured much  hardness,  but  in  all  the  trials  he  passed  through 
as  a  Christian  and  a  minister  he  kept  his  garment  clean.  He 
was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  died  July  2,  1893,  at 
Wilkes-Barre,  Pa.  She  was  a  noble  Christian  woman  and 
a  true  helpmeet.  March  29,  1897,  he  married  Mrs.  Ann 
Rees  at  Jerymn,  Pa.  She  died  Feb.  13,  1901.  After  her 
death  he  made  his.  home  with  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Sarah 
Bird,  at  Wilkes-Barre,  where  he  finished  April  26,  1902, 
aged  73  years  and  4  months.  April  30  he  was  buried  at 
Shawnee  Cemetery,  Plymouth,  Pa.  The  funeral  was  in 
charge  of  the  Rev.  J.  D.  Roberts,  pastor  of  the  Parrish 
Street  Church,  Wilkes-Barre.  and  the  following  pastors 
officiated  with  him:  Jacob  E.  Davies,  Wm.  J.  John,  W.  O. 
Evans  and  John  Hague.  He  had  eight  children,  but  only 
one  survived  him — Mrs.  Sarah  B-ird. 


REV.  MOSES  WRIGHT. 

Mr.  Wright  was  a  native  of  Gefn  Mawr,  North  Wales, 
where  he  was  born  in  1842.  He  was  baptized  at  the  age 
of  18  and  began  to  preach  at  the  age  of  19  years  at  the 
same  place. 


34 

He  spent  three  years  at  Llang-ollen  Colleg-e,  North 
Wales,  and  after  he  had  finished  his  collegiate  course  he 
was  ordained  at  the  Jerusalem  Church,  Rhymney,  in 
March,  1866.  He  came  to  America  in  1872  and  settled  as 
pastor  of  the  Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  Bedford,  Ohio. 
After  his  departure  from  Bedford,  he  served  Newburgh 
(Welsh  Church)  and  Alliance,  Ohio,  and  an  January,  1877, 
he  accepted  a  call  from  the  First  Welsh  Baptist  Church  of 
Scranton  as  successor  of  the  Rev.  D.  W.  Morris.  He  died 
at  Shenandoah,  Pa.,  December,  1878,  and  was  buried  at  the 
same  place.  He  had  gone  to  Shenandoah  with  a  view  to 
settle  there  as  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Church  there,  but  he 
was  taken  sick  and  died  before  he  had  really  begun  his 
work.    He  left  a  widow. 

He  was  a  good  man.  His  friends  in  the  States  placed 
a  beautiful  monument  over  his  grave  in  honor  to  bis  mem- 
ory. In  the  biography  of  the  late  R.  Jones  Llanllyfni  a 
beautiful  letter  may  be  seen  written  by  Jones  to  Wright 
when  the  latter  was  at  Rhymney,  which  shows  the  regard 
the  venerable  patriarch  had  for  Mr.  Wright. 


REV.  JAMES  R.  PRICE. 

As  was  stated,  the  Welsh  Baptist  Church  at  Edwards- 
dale  was  organized  in  1873,  but  it  depended  upon  supplies 
until  Rev.  James  R.  Price  was  ordained,  which  was  done 
August  28,  1876.  Mr.  Price  was  born  in  a  farmhouse 
named  Drachfynydd  in  Breconshire  on  November  28,  1833. 
When  he  was  yet  in  his  infancy,  his  parents  moved  to 
Merthyr  Tydvil,  and  here,  when  about  fourteen  years  of 
age,  he  was  converted  and  baptized  into  the  followship  of 
what  was  generally  known  as  the  Lower  Chapel  or  Eben- 
ezer  Baptist  Church  by  the  late  Rev.  John  Llyod,  who  was 
one  of  the  most  excellent  Christian  ministers  of  Wales,  and 
who  was  pastor  of  the  above-named  church  for  many  years. 
Mr.  Price,  like  the  most  of  the  boys  and  young  men  of 
Wales  'in  his  day,  did  not  have  many  educational  advan- 


35 

tages,  yet  he  made  good  use  of  his  spare  hours  and  attended 
school  for  some  months  with  the  Rev.  John  WiUiams.  In 
the  month  of  August,  1857,  he  married  Miss  Jane  Lewis, 
who  proved  a  true  helpmeet  to  him  until  the  Lord  took  him 
home.  He  came  to  America  for  the  first  time  in  1862,  with 
the  intention  of  making  his  home  here,  but  for  some  reason 
he  returned  to  Wales  the  same  year.  In  the  year  1869  he 
came  again  to  America  with  his  family,  and  settled  in 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  for  a  time.  Then  he  came  to  Taylor,  Pa., 
and  from  Taylor  to  Edwardsville,  Pa.,  which  was  to  be  the 
chief  and  final  field  of  his  labor.  He  had  been  preaching  for 
some  years  before  he  came  to  Edwardsdale,  but  had  not 
been  ordained,  and  his  coming  tO'  this  place  proved  a  great 
blessing  to  the  church  in  its  weakness,  and  in  order  that  he 
might  be  fully  qualified  to  administer  the  Ordinances,  they 
decided  tO'  have  him  ordained.  Hence  a  council  met  on 
August  28,  1876.  The  Rev.  John  P.  Harris  was  Chairman 
of  the  Council,  and  asked  the  usual  questions.  The  Ordina- 
tion Prayer,  with  the  Laying  of  Hands,  was  offered  by  the 
Rev.  Edward  Jenkins  of  Plymouth.  The  Hand  of  Fellow- 
ship was  given  by  the  Rev.  D.  R.  Davies.  The  Charge  to 
the  Pastor  was  given  by  the  Rev.  Theophilus  Jones,  and  the 
Charge  to  the  Church  by  the  Rev.  H.  C.  Parry,  of  Pittston. 
After  his  ordination,  as  before,  he  labored  faithfully  at  home 
and  elsewhere  until  he  was  disabled  by  an  affliction  which 
began  in  August,  1881,  and  ended  by  his  death  on  Monday, 
June  II,  1883,  He  died  a  peaceful  death,  resting  on  his 
blessed  Saviour,  having  sung  that  sweet  hymn  just  before 
he  died,  "Am  graig  i  adeiladu."  He  was  buried  on  June  13 
at  Forty  P'ort. 

The  funeral  services  were  held  at  the  Welsh  Baptist 
Church,  when  the  Rev.  D.  R.  Jones,  of  Plymouth,  preached 
in  Welsh,  and  the  Rev.  John  P.  Harris  preached  in  Eng- 
lish, and  an  address  was  delivered  at  the  grave  by  the  Rev. 
Theophilus  Jones.  Thus  lived  and  died  a  noble  child  of 
God  who  has  left  a  blessed  influence  behind  him.  His 
widow,  Mrs.  Jane  Price,  is  still  living  at  Edwardsdale,  and  is 
an  honored  member  of  the  Welsh  Baptist  Church ;  also  four 


36 

of  his  children  are  members  of  the  Immanuel  Church,  John 
R.  Price,  Miss  Anna  Price,  who  Hve  with  their  mother,  Mrs. 
Mary  J.  Lewis,  the  wife  of  Wilham  J.  Lewis,  who  hve  at 
Kingston,  and  Mrs.  Margaret  Price,  the  wife  of  James 
Price,  of  Edwardsdale.  There  are  also  a  son,  William  R. 
Price,  at  Fresno,  California,  and  a  daughter,  Miss  Catherine 
Price,  at  Scranton,  Pa.  May  they  all  live  so  that  they  enjoy 
that  glorious  re-union  above !  Mr.  Price  was  the  first  Bap- 
tist minister  to  be  ordained  at  Edwardsdale.  He  was  quite 
a  poet,  several  of  his  poetic  productions  appearing  in  issues 
of  the  Dawn  of  the  Welsh. 


REV.  JEREMIAH  GRIFFITHS,  ASHLAND,  PA. 

He  was  a  son  of  Mr.  Jeremiah  Griffiths,  a  prosperous 
farmer  in  Llanelli  parish,  Carmarthenshire,  Wales,  and  a 
brother  of  the  Rev.  Cornelius  Griffiths,  well  known  in 
Wales  and  England  as  an  able  Baptist  minister,  who  now 
resides  in  Cardiff.  Jeremiah  Griffiths  was  born  in  a  farm- 
house called  Gwendre  Fawr,  in  the  above  parish,  December 
17,  1823.  He  professed  conversion  when  quite  young,  and 
was  baptized  at  Felinfoel,  near  Llanelli,  when  a  little  past 
fourteen  years.  In  1844  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Mary  Bowen,  a  daughter  of  a  respectable  farmer  of  the 
same  parish,  whO'  lived  at  a  place  called  Gell-ifechan.  She 
also  was  a  faithful  member  with  the  Baptists,  and  had  been 
baptized  when  quite  young  at  the  same  place.  She  proved 
to  be  an  excellent  wife  and  a  true  helpmeet  in  every  sense 
of  the  word,  and  a  tender  and  careful  mother  of  the  seven 
children  which  they  were  blessed  with,  but  to  the  great 
sorrow  and  loss  oi  himself  and  children,  she  died  at  Hop- 
kinstown,  near  Pontypridd,  August,  1868.  After  his  mar- 
riage he  settled  on  a  farm,  called  Cwrt  y  Gleden,  near 
Pontyberen,  and  soon  after  that  he  united  with  the  Hermon 
Church,  Llanon,  and  it  was  at  this  place  in  1854  he  began 
to  preach.  For  some  time  he  preached  as  an  assistant 
preacher  in  the  neighboring  churches  with  great  accept- 


37 

ance,  and  about  the  close  of  1859  ^^^  accepted  a  call  which 
had  been  given  him  by  the  church  at  Ponthenry,  and  Janu- 
ary 30,  i860,  he  was  ordained  to  the  full  work  of  the  gospel 
ministry.  The  following  ministers  are  supposed  to  have 
officiated  at  his  ordination:  E.  Price,  Llanon;  W.  Hughes, 
Glanymor,  Llanelly;  and  his  brother,  Cornelius  Griffiths, 
then  of  Aberavon.  He  served  the  church  at  Ponthenry 
with  a  great  degree  of  success  for  three  years,  and  then  in 
1863  removed  to  take  charge  of  Adulam  and  Foxhole,  near 
Swansea,  where  he  remained  until  1867,  when  in  the  month 
of  August  of  that  year  he  accepted  a  call  from  Rhondda 
chapel,  near  Pontypridd. 

In  about  a  year  after  he  had  settled  here  he  suffered 
the  great  loss  of  his  beloved  wife,  who  died  August,  1868. 
About  the  month  of  July,  1870,  he  left  Hopkinstown  to  take 
charge  of  Llandocha  and  Cadoxton,  near  Cardiff.  Shortly 
before  this  he  had  married  his  second  wife,  Miss  Margaret 
Jones  of  Canton,  Cardiff,  who  proved  an  excellent  com- 
panion and  wife  to  him  until  his  death,  and  died  soon  after 
him.  In  1871  he  left  Cadoxton  and  Llandocha  to  take  charge 
of  Carmel,  Cefncoedcymer,  near  Merthyr,  where  he  remain- 
ed until  1875,  when  he  left  to  assume  the  pastorate  of  Tafar- 
nau  Bach  and  Tabernacle.  SirhowT,  which  he  served  happily 
and  prosperously  until  1879,  when  he  left  his  native  land  for 
America,  and  settled  as  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Ash- 
land, Pa.,  where  he  remained  until  he  was  called  to  his  re- 
ward in  June,  1886. 

In  the  summer  of  1885  he  visited  his  native  land,  when 
he  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  many  of  his  old  friends  and 
children,  and  of  preaching  at  many  places,  and  also  of  taking 
part  at  the  installation  services  of  his  eldest  son,  the  Rev. 
John  Griffiths,  at  Llanidloes,  who  that  year  moved  from 
Brynhyfryd.  Ebbw  Vale,  to  Llanidloes.  North  Wales.  In 
September  he  returned  to  his  home  at  Ashland.  This  trip 
did  not  benefit  his  health,  but  rather  to  the  contrary,  and 
soon  after  his  return  he  was  taken  sick  with  rheumatic  fever, 
from  which  he  never  recoverd,  but  graually  weakened  unti! 


38 

his  death,  which  occurred  Tuesday,  June  29,  1886,  and  dur- 
ing his  dying  moments  he  whispered  those  beautiful  Hnes  in 
Welsh: 

A  chuddia  fi  yn  dy  farwol  glwy." 

"Cymer  fi,  lesu,  fel  yr  wyf, 

July  ist  the  funeral  services  were  held  at  the  church, 
when  the  following  ministers  officiated :  Revs.  Theophilus 
Jones  (B.),  Wilkes-Barre ;  Henshey,  Girardsville ;  B.  James, 
St.  Clair:  James  F.  Richards,  Mahanoy  City:  and  T.  D. 
Evans,  Audenried.  and  R.  Edwards,  Pottsville,  and  all  the 
above  ministers  except  Mr.  Evans  have  since  passed  away. 
His  mortal  remains  were  interred  at  Ashland  Cemetery. 
All  the  respect  possible  to  an  honored  servant  of  Christ 
v/cre  shown  him  by  the  church  and  the  community  during 
his  sickness  and  at  his  funeral.  He  preached  his  last  ser- 
mon December  18,  1885.  from  Acts  27:8.  He  had  seven 
children,  four  sons  and  three  daughters,  six  of  whom  are 
still  living.  He  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  them  all  follow- 
ing Christ  in  the  days  of  their  youth,  and  two  of  his  sons 
are  Baptist  ministers  in  Wales. 

John,  his  eldest  son,  is  now  a  home  missionary  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Forward  Movement  at  Towyn,  Merion- 
eth, and  William  is  at  Llantrisant,  Glanmorganshire,  where 
the  late  beloved  William  Morgans,  Pottsville,  Pa.,  was  or- 
dained in  1824,  and  a  grandson  of  his  wife,  a  son  of  his  first 
born,  Ann.  Samuel  Jones  is  pastor  of  Ffvnon  and  Glan 
Rhyd,  Pembroke.  Thus,  though  dead,  he  still  speaketh 
both  through  the  Christian  character  he  lived,  and  his  use- 
ful and  honored  sons,  and  the  souls  that  he  was  instru- 
mental through  his  ministry  in  leading  to  Christ.  "The 
memory  of  the  just  is  blessed." 


REV.  B.  JAMES. 

Mr.  James  settled  at  Ashland,  Pa.,  in  1873.  He  was  a 
native  of  Cardiganshire,  Wales,  and  was  baptized  at  Cardi- 
gan, Cardiganshire,  in  1823  by  the  Rev.  John  Herring  and 


39 

began  to  preach  at  the  same  place  in  1831.  He  published 
an  interesting  sketch  of  the  life  of  John  Herring.  He  was 
a  brother  of  the  late  Rev.  T.  E.  James  (T  ap  leuan),  Glyn 
Neath,  Wales.  In  1884  he  published  a  volume  of  the  ser- 
mons of  the  late  Rev.  John  Roberts.  He  returned  to  Wales 
in  April,  1887,  and  died  there  in  May  the  same  year.  I 
often  heard  him  say  that  he  wished  to  end  his  days  in  Wales 
and  be  buried  with  his  brother,  and  his  wish  was  granted. 

He  was  a  good  man.  and  had  preached  the  gospel 
nearly  sixty  years.  I  am  not  familiar  with  the  details  of  his 
life  in  Whales  and  America,  but  I  know  that  he  was  at  one 
time  pastor  of  the  Pisgah  Baptist  Church,  Glamorganshire. 
Wales,  which  was  the  writer's  mother  church,  and  I  pub- 
lish these  few  facts  as  a  tribute  of  respect  to  his  memory. 


REV.  JOHN  SETH  JONES. 

Mr.  Jones  was  born  at  Dinoruig,  Carnarvonshire, 
North  Wales,  in  1826.  His  father's  name  was  John  Jones, 
and  was  an  honored  and  useful  deacon  among  the  Con- 
gregationalists,  but  the  son  was  brougt  up  a  Baptist  and 
was  baptized,  as  is  supposed,  by  the  Rev.  John  Jones  ("Yr 
Hen  Gloddiwr).  At  the  age  ol  23  years  he  began  to  preach, 
and  after  a  course  of  education  at  Haverfordwest  he  was 
ordained  at  Lanfaircaereinion,  North  Wales,  in  1861,  and 
in  ten  months  he  married  Miss  Margaret  Rowlands,  one 
of  the  members  of  his  church,  who  proved  a  true  helpmeet 
to  him  until  his  death.  After  three  years'  service  at  Llan- 
fair  he  moved  to  New  Tredegar,  South  Wales,  where  he 
labored  with  great  success  for  five  years  and  then  came  to 
America  and  settled  as  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Church  at  Dan- 
ville and  Frosty  Valley,  Pennsylvania.  He  remained  here 
six  years  and  then  moved  to  Remsen,  New  York,  where  he 
died  June  3,  1893.  His  remains  were  buried  at  Prospect 
Cemetery.  His  funeral  services  were  conducted  by  his 
pastor,  the  Rev.  D.  P.  Griffith.  Mr.  Jones  had  retired  from 
the  stated  ministry  some  years  before  his  death,  and  lived 


40 

en  his  own  farm,  but  preached  wherever  he  had  an  oppor- 
tunity. He  left  an  excellent  record  as  a  Christian  and  as  a 
minister  of  the  gospel.  He  left  a  widow  and  six  children, 
viz.:  John  R.,  Tennessee;  H.  Seth,  New  York;  Mrs.  Ben- 
jamin Richards  and  Mary,  in  the  same  city,  and  Emlyn  and 
Willie,  home.    See  "The  Dawn"  for  September,  1893. 


REV.  SAMSON  JONES. 

Mr.  Jones  was  bcrn  at  a  place  called  The  Garth.  Llan- 
gollen parish,  Denbighshire,  in  the  year  1843.  His  parents 
were  Calvinistic  Methodists,  but  he  himself  was  led  when 
only  17  years  old  to  accept  the  New  Testament  baptism, 
by  being  baptized  at  the  Tabernacle  Baptist  Church,  Cefn 
Mawr,  by  the  Rev.  W.  Williams,  Garth,  after  having  heard 
a  sermon  on  the  occasion  on  baptism  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Ellis 
Evans.  Soon  after  that  he  went  to  Liverpool,  where  he 
remained  two  years  and  a  half,  and  then  returned  to  his 
native  home,  where  he  began  to  preach.  In  1866  he  en- 
tered Llangollen  College,  and  in  1867  he  settled  as  pastor 
at  Staylittle  and  Maldwyn.  In  1872-1874  he  served  Bwlch- 
y-rhiw,  Rhaiadr-mwyn  and  Waunclydaf.  Then  he  moved  to 
Trefforest,  near  Pontypridd.  He  served  also  Cwmsarnddu 
and  Cendl  in  Wales,  and  in  1884  he  came  to  America  and 
took  charge  of  the  First  Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  Wilkes- 
Barre,  which  he  served  for  a  number  of  years,  and  then  re- 
turned to  his  old  charge  at  Trefforest,  Wales,  where  he 
died  very  suddenly  a  few  years  ago.  It  was  during  his  pas- 
torate that  the  First  Welsh  Baptist  of  Wilkes-Barre  erected 
their  present  meeting  house  on  Meade  street.  See  "The 
Dawn"  for  1887,  p.  197. 


REV.  J.  F.  RICHARDS. 

Mr.  Richards  was  a  native  of  Dowlais,  South  Wales, 
and  was  the  son  of  Richard  and  Margaret  Richards,  effi- 
cient members  of  Hebron  Baptist  Church.     He  was  con- 


41 

verted  when  only  eleven  years  of  age  and  united  with  the 
Hebron  Baptist  Church,  Dowlais.  He  began  to  preach 
when  only  sixteen  years  old.  In  1872  he  entered  Bucknell 
University,  where  he  remained  four  years,  and  in  January, 
1878,  he  was  ordained  as  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  of 
Church  Hill,  Ohio.  After  having  served  Church  Hill  a 
few  years  he  served  Newburgh  and  the  Superior  Street 
Baptist  Church,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  then  returned  to 
Pennsylvania  to  take  charge  of  Warrior  Run  and  Alden, 
Pa.,  whence  he  moved  to  Mahanoy  City,  Pa.,  in  1886, 
where  he  died  in  July,  1888.  His  remains  were  buried  at 
Mahanoy  City  July  30,  1888. 

He  died  comparatively  young.  Though  a  young  man, 
he  had  passed  through  deep  waters  of  afflictions  and  sor- 
rows. Plis  beloved  wife  Sophia,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  T. 
M.  Mathews,  whom  he  had  married  at  Hubbard,  Ohio,  in 
1878,  had  preceded  him  to  her  eternal  home,  leaving  him 
with  his  twO'  little  children  to  fight  the  battles  of  life — also 
he  himself  had  not  been  well  for  years,  yet  he  rendered 
valuable  service  during  his  short  pastorate,  and  left  a  good 
name  and  influence  in  all  his  fields  of  labor.  His  funeral 
sermons  were  preached  at  the  church  on  the  day  of  his 
burial  in  Welsh  by  the  Rev.  Theophilus  Jones,  and  in  Eng- 
lish by  the  writer.  His  two  children  were  sent  to  the  Bap- 
tist Orphanage,  Philadelphia,  and  were  under  the  care  of 
the  Rev.  D.  S.  Thomas,  M.  A.,  who  had  been  appointed  as 
their  guardian.     (See  "The  Daylight,"  1889,  p.  30-31). 


REV.  WM.  HADDOCK. 

Mr.  Haddock  was  born  at  Tredgar,  Monmouthshire, 
Wales,  May  ist,  1841.  At  the  age  of  13  years  he  united 
with  the  Reformed  Wesleyans,  who  were  then  at  Tredegar. 
At  that  time  he  could  not  read,  and  was  not  able  to  do  so 
until  he  was  18  years  old.  Circumstances  compelled  him 
to  work  every  day,  Sundays  included,  so  that  he  did  not 
have  the  advantages  neither  of  week  days'  school  nor  the 


42 

Sunday  school.     But  at  the  age  of  i8  years  he  began  to 
Jearn,  and  when  he  began  he  went  at  it  with  all  his  might. 

"I  went,"  said  he,  "at  this  time  to  a  night  school,  and 
learned  to  read;  and  then  I  began  to  think,  and  I  united 
with  the  Siloh  Baptist  Church  of  Tredegar,  and  was  bap- 
tized by  the  Rev.  John  Evans  Abercanaid,  May  7,  1863." 
Then  he  moved  to  the  North  of  England  and  in  1865  he  en- 
tered Llangollen  College.  He  was  now  24  years  old.  At 
the  end  of  his  collegiate  course  he  accepted  a  call  from 
Twyn  Gwyn  Church,  Monmouthshire,  where  he  was  or- 
dained April,  1867,  where  he  spent  four  happy  and  pros- 
perous years;  he  married  his  first  wife.  Miss  Sarah  Jones, 
of  Gwenllwyn,  in  July,  1868.  In  1871  he  accepted  a  call 
from  Cwmbwrla,  and  moved  there  that  year,  and  remained 
there  until  1879,  when  he  moved  to  take  charge  of 
Blaenffos,  Pembrokeshire;  his  pastorate  here  was  not  long 
before  he  returned  to  Glamorganshire  and  settled  at  Pyle. 
He  was  at  Pyle  when  the  writer,  with  Rev.  Fred  Evans,  D. 
D,,  of  Franklin,  Pa.,  preached  at  their  anniversary  meet- 
ings in  June,  1883.  It  was  during  this  pastorate  that  he 
lost  his  beloved  wife  Sarah,  leaving  him  with  seven  chil- 
dren. He  married  the  second  time  to  a  Miss  M.  Thomas, 
who  proved  an  excellent  mother  to  the  children  and  an  ex- 
cellent companion  to  him.  In  April,  1888,  he  came  to 
America  and  settled  as  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Baptist  Church 
of  Frostburg,  Maryland  (this  church  is  a  member  of  the 
Welsh  Baptist  Association  of  Northeastern  Pennsylvania), 
where  he  was  buried  January  4th,  1890,  amid  great  sorrow 
and  also  with  all  the  tokens  of  Christian  love  that  the 
church  and  community  could  show  him.  His  funeral  ser- 
mon was  preached  the  following  day  by  the  Rev.  Samson 
Jones,  of  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa. 

Mr,  Haddock  left  a  blessed  memory.  He  published  a 
volume  of  sermons  and  essays,  entitled  "The  Bud."  Dur- 
ing his  pastorate  at  Frostburg  he  had  the  pleasure  of  bap- 
tizing his  father.  After  his  death  Mrs.  T.  Lewis,  of  Cata- 
sauqua,  took  two^  of  his  daughters  to  the  Baptist  Orphan- 
age, Philadelphia.    (See  "The  Dawn"  for  1890,  pp.  13&) 


43 
REV.  WM.  SHADRACH,  D.  D. 

Dr.  Wm.  Shadrach  was  born  at  Penclawdd,  near  Swan- 
sea, December  4,  1804.  His  father  died  when  he  was  quite 
small.  He  well  remembered  his  mother's  pastor,  viz.:  the 
immortal  Joseph  Harris  (Gomer),  and  Gomer  had  a  warm 
place  in  his  heart  to  his  last  moment.  In  the  year  1819, 
when  only  fifteen  years  old,  he  left  Wales  with  his  mother 
and  half-brother,  John  Thomas.  The  last  words  of  Mrs. 
Shadrach  to  her  pastor,  Gomer,  when  bidding  him  farewell 
were: — "I  do  not  expect  to  live  long  after  reaching 
America,  but  I  want  to  take  my  two  sons,  all  that  I  have 
left  of  my  family,  to  the  land  of  freedom  before  I  die." 
After  a  stormy  voyage  of  six  weeks  they  landed  at  Picton, 
Nova  Scotia.  From  this  place  they  sailed  in  a  vessel  laden 
with  lumber  and  were  for  six  weeks  more  on  the  rough 
ocean,  when  they  landed  at  Baltimore,  Maryland,  August 
19,  18 19  William  and  John  left  their  mother  in  the  city  in 
the  care  of  a  friend,  and  they  went  on  foot  to  a  place  named 
Dixon's  Run,  Indiana  Co.,  Pa.  They  had  two  uncles  here, 
brothers  of  their  mother,  named  Hugh  and  John  Rees. 
This  was  a  long  journey,  and  one  they  never  forgot.  They 
walked  by  faith,  for  it  was  a  strange  road  to  them.  The 
boys  had  but  very  little  English,  and  no  Welsh  could  be 
found  from  Baltimore  to  Dixon's  Run.  After  having 
walked  with  but  little  rest  they  reached  the  place  and  re- 
ceived a  hearty  welcome.  In  a  short  time  one  of  the 
brethren  of  Mrs.  Shadrach  went  to  bring  her  from  Balti- 
more. She  came  on  horseback.  Once  more  the  mother 
and  two  sons  are  under  the  same  roof.  In  a  short  time  we 
find  them  in  a  log  cabin.  By  this  time  the  spot  on  which 
the  cabin  was  built  has  been  immortalized,  for  the  farm  now 
is  called  "Shadrach's  Farm."  The  place  at  that  time  was 
quite  wild,  and  the  good  mother  and  the  heroic  sons  had  to 
work  hard  to  clear  a  piece  of  land  that  they  might  make  a 
living.  Here  they  worked  together  for  years,  and  this 
proved  a  good  school  for  W.  Shadrach.  Really,  he  was 
prepared  here  for  the  great  mission  of  his  life.     John  was 


44 

the  oldest  and  he  had  received  a  good  education  at  Swan- 
sea, but  William  had  not  received  scarcely  any.  In  the 
winter  John  taught  a  public  school,  whilst  William  workeci 
here  and  there,  and  thus  they  made  enough  of  money  to 
pay  for  the  farm.  In  the  year  1824  we  find  William  work- 
ing under  Thomas  E.  Thomas,  superintendent  of  an  iron 
ore  mine  at  Warrior's  Run,  Huntingdon  Co.  Thomas  K 
Thomas  had  been  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Beulah 
Church,  Cambria  Co.  (This  was  the  church  organized  by 
Morgan  John  Rees),  and  though  busy  at  work  all  through 
the  week,  yet  he  preached  two  or  three  times  every  Sun- 
day. Mr.  Thomas  knew  nothing  about  singing,  but  Will- 
iam was  a  great  help  to  him.  May  22,  1825,  he  was  bap^ 
tized  by  Mr.  Thomas  and  received  into  the  Two'  Lick  Bap- 
tist Church,  Indiana  Co.,  Pa.  He  was  soon  invited  to  be- 
gin to  preach,  and  he  preached  his  first  trial  sermon  De- 
cember 26,  1826,  at  the  home  of  Mr.  Francis  Chapman. 
He  soon  became  quite  popular,  and  he  preached  through 
the  Counties  of  Greene,  Somerset,  Fayette  and  Westmore- 
land. He  was  then  known  as  "the  boy  preacher."  He  mas- 
tered the  English  language,  and  retained  his  Welsh  fire. 
As  soon  as  Dr.  Estep  of  Mount  Pleasant,  Westmoreland 
Co.,  Pa.,  heard  of  him  he  sent  for  him  to  come  and  stay  at 
his  liome  in  order  tO'  be  prepared  for  the  ministry.  He  went 
there,  and  with  Dr.  Estep,  "the  medical  preacher,"  he  learnt 
Greek  and  Latin.  He  was  very  fortunate  in  finding-  in  the 
Doctor  a  friend  and  a  father.  The  Mount  Pleasant  Church 
gave  him  a  call  and  ordained  him  in  1828.  In  1830  he 
moved  to  Loyalhanna  and  Peter's  Creek,  Allegheny  Co., 
and  whilst  he  was  pastor  of  these  two  churches  he  preached 
in  the  City  of  Allegheny.  He  did  this  in  order  tO'  attend 
the  Western  Theological  Seminary — he  thirsted  for  theo- 
logical knowledge  and  had  it  whilst  he  was  at  Allegheny. 
In  1834  the  Sandusky  Street  Church  of  Allegheny  gave 
him  a  call,  which  he  accepted,  and  remained  here  with 
great  success  for  four  years.  Then  we  find  him  as  pastor 
of  New  Market  Chuich,  Philadelphia — that  church  is  now 
called  the  Fourth  and  is  on  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  Button- 


45 

wood.  This  is  the  mother  of  the  Tenth  Church.  He  was 
the  successor  of  Dr.  Joseph  H,  Kennard,  who  went  out 
from  the  Fourth  tO'  form  the  Tenth.  In  1841  he  resigned 
his  pastorate  m  order  to  become  the  superintendent  of  the 
State  Association,  which  is  now  called  "the  General  Bap- 
tist Association  of  Pennsylvania."  He  proved  himself  vcrv 
efficient  in  this  position,  and  was  very  successful.  In  1844 
he  resigned  tO'  accept  a  call  from  the  Grant  Street  Baptist 
Church,  Pittsburgh,  but  he  only  remained  here  one  year, 
when  he  returned  to  Philadelphia  to  take  charge  of  the 
Fifth  Church.  He  was  very  successful  here  until  1847.  ^^ 
this  year  the  denomination  turned  to  him,  requesting  him 
to  assume  the  great  work  of  raising  the  means  to  establish 
"Bucknell  (now)  University,"  and  from  1847  to  1853.  with 
the  exception  of  one  year  which  he  gave  to  the  Berean 
Church  in  Pittsburgh,  he  labored  with  all  the  power  of  his 
soul,  and  to  him  chiefly  as  an  instrument  we  are  indebted 
for  Bucknell  University.  If  Dr.  Shadrach  had  no  other 
monument,  this  is  sufficient  to  speak  of  his  power.  After 
he  had  finished  his  work  for  Lewisburg  he  served  Mount 
Pleasant,  Pa.,  from  1861  to  1864;  Hollidaysburg  to  1867; 
Altoona  to  1872,  he  was  rhe  chief  instrument  in  building 
their  meeting  house. 

In  April,  1873,  he  moved  to  Indiana,  Pa.,  and  served 
that  church  eleven  years.  He  served  the  Everett  Church 
in  Bedford  Co.  for  one  year,  and  aided  the  little  church  to 
erect  a  meeting  house  instead  of  the  one  burnt.  In  the 
spring  of  1886  he  returned  to  Indiana,  his  old  home,  and 
from  1887  to  1890  he  served  the  General  Baptist  Associa- 
tion as  an  Associational  missionary  of  the  Indiana  Associ- 
ation, and  during  this  period,  though  past  eighty  years  old, 
he  rendered  valuable  service  by  establishing  a  new  church 
at  Blairsville.  February  16,  1890,  he  preached  his  last  ser- 
mon. October  i,  1890,  he  died  at  his  home  at  Indiana,  Pa. 
The  funeral  services  were  held  in  the  Baptist  Church  at 
Indiana;  a  portion  of  God's  Word  was  read  by  the  Rev. 
W.  H.  Conard,  D.  D.,  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Gen- 
eral Baptist  Association  of  Pennsylvania ;  a  brief  biography 


46 

of  Dr.  Shadrach  was  read  by  the  pastor,  Rev.  D.  W. 
Swigart;  addressese  were  delivered  by  the  Rev.  Messrs.  W. 
H.  Conrad;  Forgeus,  Ehrenfield,  pastor  of  the  Lutheran 
Church  in  the  place;  Hall,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church;  Prof.  Loomis,  of  Bucknell  University;  Brownlee, 
pastor  of  the  U.  P.  Church ;  and  Hay,  pastor  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Lutheran  Church.  His  remains  were  buried  at 
Oakland  Cemetery,  near  the  town.  Thus  lived  and  died 
one  of  the  noblest  characters  that  ever  crossed  the  ocean. 
He  was  a  prince  with  God  and  man;  the  writer  has  always 
felt  proud  of  the  fact  that  Dr.  Shadrach  took  part  at  his 
installation  at  Scottdale  in  September,  1882,  and  remained 
at  his  home  over  night. 

The  most  of  the  above  has  been  translated  from  a 
Welsh  article  written  by  the  late  Rev.  Fred  Evans,  D.  D. 

Dr.  Shadrach  never  served  as  pastor  in  the  Welsh 
Association,  but  he  was  a  pastor  of  all  the  Associations  in 
his  position  as  financial  agent  for  Lewisburg,  etc.,  1847- 
1853. 


REV.  J.  R.  JONES. 

Mr.  Jones  was  born  at  Sirhowy,  Monmouthshire, 
Wales,  August  16,  1839.  He  was  a  son  of  Evan  and  Mary 
Jones.  At  the  age  of  16  years  he  was  baptized  into  the 
fellowship  of  the  Baptist  Church  by  the  renowned  Rev. 
Robert  Ellis  (Cynddelw).  In  his  young  manhood  he  came 
to  America  and  settled  at  Pomeroy,  Ohio,  where  he  proved 
himself  very  helpful  to  the  cause  there.  At  this  place  he 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Ann  Rees,  daughter  of  Ed- 
ward and  Jane  Rees,  who  were  honored  members  of  the 
Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist  Church  of  Pomeroy.  In  1866, 
at  the  invitation  of  the  Pomeroy  Welsh  Church,  he  began 
to  preach  and  June  3,  1873,  he  was  ordained  as  pastor  of 
the  Mason  City  Baptist  Church,  West  Virginia.  The  fol- 
lowing ministers  officiated: — W.  Owens,  Pittsburgh;  D. 
Jenkins,  Palmyra,  Ohio;  D.  Probert,  Youngstown,  Ohio; 
D.   R.   Jones,   Johnstown,   Pa.;    M,    Wright,   Newburgh, 


47 

Ohio;  W.  M.  Evans,  Brookfield,  Ohio,  and  the  writer,  who 
was  then  at  Sharpsville,  Pa.  During  those  days  the  Welsh 
Baptist  Association  of  Western  Pennsylvania  held  its  meet- 
ings at  Pomeroy.  across  the  Ohio  River  from  Mason  City, 
and  this  was  the  reason  why  so  many  ministers  were  pres- 
ent at  his  ordination.  In  1876  he  accepted  a  call  to  Miners- 
ville,  Pa.  In  November,  1881,  he  accepted  a  call  to  Brisbin, 
Pa.,  where  he  labored  with  great  success  for  eight  years. 
During  his  pastorate  here  the  church  erected  two  meeting 
houses;  the  second  had  to  be  built  because  the  first  was 
burned.  In  April.  1888.  a  church  was  organized  at  Linsey, 
Pa.,  and  in  September  the  same  year  he  moved  there  to 
take  formal  charge  of  it.  He  built  a  meeting  house  here 
also. 

He  died  November  3,  1891,  after  several  months  of 
illness.  Revs.  D.  R.  Davis,  Pittsburgh;  J.  G.  Noble,  Punx- 
sutawney,  and  Jacob  Howells  (Pres.)  officiated  at  his  fu- 
neral. Mr.  Jones  left  an  excellent  record  as  a  Christian 
and  a  minister  of  the  gospel.  He  left  a  widow,  five  sons 
and  one  daughter  and  a  host  of  friends  to  mourn  his  loss. 
(See  Rev.  D.  R.  Davis'  article  in  "The  Dawn"  for  Janu- 
ary, 1892. 

REV.    AMBROSE   WILLIAMS. 

Mr.  Williams  was  converted  at  Sirhowy,  Monmouth- 
shire, Wales,  under  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  John  P.  Davis, 
Tredegar,  and  baptized  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Davis  Argoed. 
in  the  absence  of  the  pastor,  who  at  the  time  was  sick.  He 
was  one  of  the  constituent  members  of  Sirhowy,  which 
was  organized  in  1833.  He  and  the  late  B.  Evans,  D.  D., 
Neath,  Wales,  began  to  preach  the  same  time  at  the  same 
place.  Before  leaving  for  America  he  was  ordained  at  Sir- 
howy, in  August,  1854.  He  settled  as  pastor  in  Johnstown 
in  August,  1855.  He  died  at  Remsen,  New  York,  in  1865, 
and  was  buried  at  Weathersfield,  Ohio.  He  was  one  of  the 
chief  instruments  in  settling  the  renowned  Rev.  Robert 
Ellis  (Cynddelw)  at  Sirhowy. 


48 

REV.  D.  R.  JONES. 

Mr.  Jones  was  born  at  Penlan,  Talybont,  Wales.  His 
parents'  names  were  Thomas  and  Eleanor  Jones.  His 
father  was  a  sieve  maker  by  trade  and  he  also  learned  the 
same  trade.    He  was  baptized,  one  of  twelve,  May  26,  1826,  1 

by  the  Rev.  Simon  James.    Soon  after  his  baptism  he  began 
to  preach.     It  is  said  that  the  Rev.  John  Jones,  Zion,  Mer- 
thyr,  began  to  preach  with  him  the  same  time  at  Talybont. 
He  was  ordained  at  Machynlleth,  April  4, 1863.  Jones  served  /  W'   ^ 
the  following  churches  in  Wales:  Machynlleth,  Berwig, Liv-  1 

erpool,  London,  Penuel,  Rhymney,  Abercarn,  and  in  1869 
he  came  to  Johnstown,  Pa.  He  went  from  Johnstown  to 
Youngstown,  Ohio;  from  Youngstown  to  Frostburg, 
Maryland,  and  from  Frostburg  to  Plymouth  February, 
1879,  where  he  died  September,  1887,  and  where  he  was 
buried  September  24.  He  had  been  in  the  active  ministry 
s4  years,  and  was  one  of  the  most  popular  preachers  of  his 
day  both  in  Wales  and  in  America. 


REV.  D.  J.  EVANS. 

Before  he  came  to  America  Mr.  Evans  was  an  honored, 
deacon  of  the  Calvary  Baptist  Church,  Aberdare,  under  the 
ministry  of  the  late  Rev.  Thomas  Price,  Ph.  D.  After  he 
came  to  America  he  settled  at  Irwin  Station,  Pa.  In  1872 
the  Welsh  Church  at  Irwin  recjuested  him  to  exercise  his 
gifts  as  a  preacher,  and  Easter  morning,  1873,  he  was 
ordained  as  their  pastor.  The  Revs.  D.  Proberts,  of 
Youngstown,  Ohio,  and  D.  R.  Jones,  of  Johnstown,  offi- 
ciated. About  the  close  of  1875  ^^  went  to  Johnstown 
and  remained  here  as  pastor  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1878.  His  death  occurred  after  an  illness  ol 
nine  weeks  of  cancer  of  the  bowels.  His  mortal  remains 
were  buried  in  Sandy  Vale  Cemetery.  He  was  a  man 
greatly  beloved  because  of  his  excellence  as  a  Christian  and 
a  pastor. 


49 
REV.  JOSEPH  T.  JONES. 

Mr.  Jones  was  born  in  Lanwrda  parish,  Carmarthen- 
shire, not  far  from  Langadog,  January  21,  1824.  His  par- 
ents were  Thomas  and  Mary  Jones.  His  father  and  mother 
were  faithful  members  of  the  church  at  Langadog,  of 
Gwynfa,  He  had  the  advantage  of  an  education  in  his 
boyhood  days,  by  attending  a  school  which  was  kept  by  a 
relative  named  J.  Jones,  a  priest  of  the  Church  of  England, 
who  had  charge  of  Lanwrda,  where  he  kept  his  school. 
In  a  few  years  he  went  to  Langadog-  school,  and  by  tnis 
time  he  had  united  with  the  Congregationalists,  at  Gwynfa, 
and  began  to  preach  there  when  only  15  years  of  age  under 
the  ministry  of  the  venerable  Jones,  Gwynfa.  He  attended 
Bristol  College  for  five  years  and  was  only  just  past  19 
years  when  he  was  ordained  as  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Qiurch 
there.  He  remained  five  years.  He  served  the  Congrega- 
tionalists in  several  other  places  until  after  what  is  known 
in  Welsh  as  the  great  debate  on  Baptism,  when  he  became 
convinced  that  immersion  was  the  scriptural  way  of  bap- 
tism, and  hence  was  baptized  at  Lanfynydd  Baptist  Church 
about  the  beginning  of  1847,  by  the  late  Rev.  W.  L.  Evans, 
then  of  London.  From  that  time  on  he  became  a  Baptist 
minister  and  served  several  Baptist  churches  in  Wales,  viz. : 
Melin  y  Cwrt,  Briton  Ferry,  Bwlch-y-rhiw,  Rhandirmwyn, 
Fontripont,  Talysarn  and  Penygroes,  until  1873,  when  he 
came  to  America,  and  settled  at  Utica,  N.  Y.  He  served 
in  America  at  Utica,  N.  Y.,  Shenandoah,  Pa.,  Thomastown, 
Ohio,  Johnstown,  Pa.,  October,  1880,  and  Dodgeville, 
Wis,,  where  he  ended  his  pilgrimage,  September  21,  1886. 
He  was  a  man  of  very  excellent  character,  and  very  elo- 
quent and  popular.  He  was  buried  at  Dodgeville,  Wis- 
consin. 


REV.  DAVID  JONES. 

Rev.  Jones  was  born  at  Aberstwyth,  Cardiganshire, 
Wales,  April  17,  183 1.  His  parents'  names  were  Edward 
and  Frances  Jones,  who  were  well-to-do  and  highly  re- 


§6 

spected  at  Aberystw)'th.  David  Jones  was  one  of  six  chil- 
dren, four  brothers  and  two  sisters.  In  his  young-  manhood 
he  learned  the  trade  of  shoemaking.  He  was  converted 
when  quite  young,  and  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the 
Aberystwyth  Baptist  Church  by  the  Rev.  Edw.  Williams, 
where  also  he  began  to  preach.  About  the  year  1852  he 
entered  Haverfordwest  College,  where  he  received  his  theo- 
logical training.  In  the  year  1856  he  received  and  accept- 
ed a  call  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Baptist  Church  of  Beau- 
maris, Anglesy,  North  Wales,  where  he  was  ordained  the 
same  year.  Soon  after  his  settlement  in  the  ministry  he 
married  a  noble  Christian  lady  from  Beaumaris  named 
Miss  Anne  Rogers,  who  proved  an  excellent  helpmeet  to 
fiim  until  her  death,  which  occurred  in  1871. 

Mr.  Jones  remained  for  several  years  at  Beaumaris, 
greatly  respected  by  the  church  and  others,  and  he  was 
also  very  prosperous  in  his  work.  After  he  left  Beaumaris 
he  served  other  churches  in  North  Wales,  viz.:  Caeceiliog, 
Anglesy,  and  Glynceiriog,  Denbighshire.  He  was  also  for  a 
short  time  at  Henley,  in  Staffordshire,  and  from  Henley  he 
came  to  Bangor,  North  Wales,  where  in  May,  1873,  he 
married  the  second  time  to  Miss  Margaret  Jones,  who  also 
proved  an  excellent  wife  to  him  until  his  death.  Soon 
after  his  marriage  tO'  Miss  Jones  he  resigned  and  accepted 
a  call  from  Llysfaen,  South  Wales.  He  served  this  church 
faithfully  and  piosperously  for  four  years,  and  in  1878  he 
came  to  America  and  settled  as  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Bap- 
tist Church  at  Shenandoah,  Pa.,  and  after  a  happy  and 
successful  ministry  of  four  years  at  Shenandoah  he  took 
charge  of  the  Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  Johnstown,  Pa.,  in 
May,  1872,  and  served  it  faithfully  and  successfully  until 
God  called  him  to  his  reward,  which  took  place  March  10, 
1886,  in  the  55th  year  of  his  age.  He  was  buried  at  Sandy 
Vale,  Johnstown. 

Much  might  be  said  of  the  excellence  of  Mr.  Jones,  as 
a  Christian  preacher,  pastor,  father,  poet,  etc.,  if  space 
permitted.  "He  was  a  good  man  and  full  of  the  Holy 
Ghost"     He  left  a  clean  record  in  all  the  churches   he 


served.  He  was  the  father  of  four  children  by  his  first 
wife;  two  are  still  living,  David,  in  Wales,  and  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth Rhees,  wife  of  our  dear  brother,  John  Rhees,  who 
live  at  Johnstown  and  are  active  in  church  work,  and  T 
hope  that  the  children  will  follow  the  footsteps  of  both 
parents  and  grandparents.  What  an  honor  to  have  a 
Godly  Christian  ancestry. 


REV.  H.  C.  PARRY,  D.  D. 

Mr.  Parry  was  born  in  the  parish  of  Cerigeinwar, 
Anglesy,  North  Wales,  September  20,  1826.  In  his  early 
years  he  was  a  Congregationalist,  and  he  began  to  preach 
with  them  at  Rhos-Y-Meirch  in  the  year  1845.  December 
26,  1848,  he  was  ordained  as  a  Congregationalist  minister 
at  Bagillt,  Flintshire,  North  Wales.  Being  convinced  after 
this  that  immersion  was  the  proper  mode  of  baptism,  he 
was  baptized  at  Llangefni,  Anglesy,  October,  1850.  by  the 
Rev.  David  Roberts.  He  labored  in  many  fields  in  Wales 
as  a  Baptist  minister,  viz.:  Dowlais,  London  and  Cardiff, 
and  came  to  America  in  1870  and  settled  at  Providence, 
Pa.  He  was  also  pastor  at  Utica,  N.  Y.,  and  Pittston,  Pa., 
and  from  Pittston  he  went  to  Johnstown  in  1886  and  re- 
mained here  about  a  year  and  in  1887  he  went  to  Dodge- 
ville.  Wis. 

He  died  at  Llangefni,  Anglesy,  North  Wales,  May  18, 
1895.  Dr.  Parry  was  an  excellent  scholar,  an  able  preacher, 
a  noted  poet  and  a  good  man.  He  wrote  much  to  the 
national  and  denominational  periodicals.  Among  his 
poetical  works  may  be  named  "An  Ode  on  the  Destruction 
of  the  Druids  of  Anglesy,"  won  second  prize  at  Aber- 
gavenny, in  1852.  "An  Ode  on  Bostworth  Field,"  won  sec- 
ond prize  at  Llangollen,  in  1858.  "An  Ode  on  the  Welsh 
Nation,"  at  Aberdare,  in  1861.  "A  Poem  on  the  Return 
from  Babylon,"  first  prize  at  Swansea  in  1863.  (See  lor- 
thryn  Gwynedd). 

Dr.  Parry  was  the  last  pastor  before  the  great  flood  at 
Johnstown,  Pa. 


REV.  JOHN  A.  EVANS. 

Mr.  Evans  was  born  near  Llandrindod,  Wales,  in  1840. 
He  was  a  son  of  John  and  Sarah  Evans.  His  parents  moved 
to  Dowlais  from  Llanwrtyd  in  1846.  He  was  converted 
when  quite  young  and  baptized  by  the  Rev.  E.  Evans  Caer- 
salem,  Dowlais,  and  began  to  preach  at  the  same  place  in 
1862.  He  spent  three  years  at  Pontypool  College,  and 
after  his  graduation  he  was  ordained  at  Welshpool.  (I 
have  no  knowledge  of  the  date.)  He  was  a  member  of  the 
same  class  as  the  Rev.  W.  Morris,  D.  D.,  Treorky,  W^ales. 
In  August,  1869,  he  was  married  at  Pontrhydyryn  Chapel, 
near  Pontypool,  to  Miss  Catherine  Williams  Abertillery.  In 
1889  he  came  to  America,  and  settled  as  pastor  of  the  Welsh 
Baptist  of  Providence,  Scranton,  Pa.  He  remained  here  one 
year,  when  he  accepted  a  call  from  the  Welsh  Baptist 
Church  of  Sharon,  Pa.,  where  he  remained  three  years,  and 
then  moved  to  Olyphant,  Pa.,  where  he  was  pastor  of  the 
W^elsh  Baptist  Church  for  several  years,  and  at  the  time  of 
his  death,  which  occurred  June  21,  1901,  he  was  pastor  of 
West  Market  Street  Welsh  Baptist  Church,  Providence, 
Scranton,  Pa.  He  was  buried  at  Peckville,  Pa.  The  Rev. 
Jacob  E.  Davies,  M.  A.,  officiated  at  his  funeral.  He  left 
a  widow  and  four  sons.  I  have  no  knowledge  of  his  family 
— but  I  know  that  he  had  one  sister  in  Sharon,  Pa. — Mrs. 
Margaret  Thomas,  widow  of  the  late  Deacon  David 
Thomas  of  the  Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  Sharon. 

P.  S.  My  authority  for  most  of  the  above  is  Mrs. 
Evans  herself  and  who  sent  me  the  items  through  her  pas- 
tor, the  Rev.  D.  E.  Richards,  M.  D.,  Slatington,  Pa. 


REV.  JACOB  MORRIS. 

Mr.  Morris  was  the  founder  of  the  Welsh  Baptist 
Church  of  Pittsburgh,  Pa.  He  was  born  at  Llanfyllin, 
Montgomeryshire,  North  Wales.  He  was  baptized  at  the 
age  of  13  years  by  the  Rev.  Rowland  Williams  at  the  same 


S3 

place,  and  began  to  preach  at  the  age  of  i6.  At  the  age  of 
i8  he  was  married  to  Miss  Jane  WilHams  and  soon  after 
that  came  to  America  and  settled  for  a  short  time  at  Cincin- 
nati and  then  came  to  Pittsburgh,  where  he  founded  the 
Welsh  Baptist  in  his  own  house  and  was  ordained  as  its 
pastor  April  20,  1S2S,  and  remained  with  them  about  six 
years,  when  he  removed  to  Sharon  to  take  charge  of  the 
English  Baptist  Church  there  in  connection  with  Warren, 
Ohio.  From  Sharon  he  went  to  Salem,  Ohio,  where  he  re- 
mained five  years,  six  years  at  Bridgewater,  nine  at  Provi- 
dence in  the  Beaver  Assocation,  Pa.,  thirteen  years  at 
Maysville,  one  year  at  Richmond  and  Townville,  Pa.,  three 
years  at  Harlansburg,  twO'  years  at  the  Transfer  before  the 
church  wos  organized,  one  year  and  a  half  at  Sharpsville — 
this  was  his  last  stated  charge.  He  was  married  three  times. 
His  first  wife  died  at  Freedom,  Pa.  Flis  second  wife  was  a 
sister  of  the  late  Dr.  Donaldson  of  Greenville,  whom  he 
married  at  Freedom,  Pa.,  March  zy,  1845.  She  died  at 
Maysville,  and  was  buried  Thursday,  January  13,  1876,  be- 
tween Maysville  and  Greenville,  Pa.  The  writer  preached 
her  funeral  sermon  from  John  14:2.  She  was  63  years  old. 
Mr.  Morris  then  moved  from  Maysville  to  Greenville 
and  his  daughter  Sadie  kept  house  for  him.  His  third  wife 
was  Miss  Hannah  Carlin  of  Harlansburg,  Lawrence  Co., 
Pa.,  Vv^hom  he  married  November  22,  1876.  After  his  third 
marriage  the  writer  received  both  into  the  fellowship  of  the 
Greenville  Church.  She  proved  an  excellent  helpmeet.  He 
died  peacefully  May  8,  1882  at  Greenville,  Pa.,  near  which 
place  also  he  was  buried.  He  left  a  widow  and  several  chil- 
dren and  many  friends  to  mourn  his  loss. 


THE  REV.  B.  E.  JONES. 

The  above  excellent  Christian  man  and  preacher  died 
at  Minersville,  Pa.,  Saturday  morning,  January  16,  1904. 

Mr.  Jones  was  born  at  Argoed,  Monmouthshire, 
Wales,  February  7,  1825.    His  parents  were  John  and  Mary 


54 

jone?.  In  September.  1845.  ^i*?  came  with  his  parents  to 
America  and  settled  at  Minersville,  Pa.  Soon  after  his 
settlement  at  Minersville  he  professed  conversion,  and  was 
baptized  by  the  late  Rev.  John  P.  Harris  (leuan  Ddii). 
Soon  after  his  conversion  he  began  to  preach.  Tliere  was 
another  brother  who  began  to  preach  with  him.  John  W. 
F.vans.  father  of  M.  G.  Evans,  now  Prof.  M.  G.  Evans.  D. 
D..  of  Crozer  Theological  Seminary.  They  both  went  to 
Bucknell  University  the  same  year,  1855.  as  near  as  I  can 
find  out.  Jones  spent  three  and  one-half  years  at  Lewis- 
burg,  and  went  from  there  to  Johnstown,  where  he  was  or- 
dained December  7,  1858.  The  Revs.  AMlliam  Owens  and 
A.  H.  Sembower  officiating. 

Alter  spending  a  few  happy  years  at  Johnstown  he  re- 
turned east  to  Centralia.  Pa.,  and  from  Centralia  he  went 
to  W'iconisco.  where  he  spent  twenty-five  years  in  pastoral 
work,  and  about  four  years  ago  he  gave  up  the  stated  min- 
itsry  and  returned  to  Minersville,  Pa.,  where  he  entered 
into  his  eternal  rest  Saturday.  January  16,  1904.  Monday. 
January  18,  his  mortal  remains  were  brought  to  Scranton 
and  were  buried  in  the  ^^'^ashburn  Street  Cemetery.  Be- 
fore the  burial  his  funeral  ser^-ices  were  held  in  the  First 
Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  Scranton.  when  the  writer  preach- 
ed the  sermon  at  the  request  of  the  deceased  from  Psalm 
73:24-25,  and  at  the  close  of  the  sermon  the  Rev.  W.  F. 
Davies  prayed.  A  service  was  held  at  his  late  homo  at 
Minersville  on  Sunday  evening,  the  17th,  at  which  the  Rev. 
Thos.  Lloyd  preached.  Mr.  Jones  never  was  married,  hence 
he  loft  no  family  to  mourn  his  loss,  but  he  left alarge number 
of  relatives  and  friends  to  do  so.  and  among  them  Evan  J. 
Davis  of  Scranton.  a  nephew,  who  was  with  him  in  his  last 
davs  and  attended  to  all  his  needs.     He  is  now  at  rest. 


REV.  W.  O.  EVANS. 

Mr.  Evans  was  born  at  Bcthesda,  North  Wales,  March 
24,  1844.  His  parents  were  John  and  Catherine  Evans. 
He  was  the  youngest  of  eleven  children.    He  was  baptized 


55 

at  the  age  of  14  years  at  Bethesda,  by  the  late  Rev.  John 
Jones,  Llanberis,  and  began  to  preach  at  the  age  of  18.  He 
received  his  preparatory  education  at  Bangor,  North 
Wales,  under  Rev.  S.  WilHams,  and  was  admitted  to  Haver- 
fordwest College  in  1863  and  remained  there  until  1866. 
In  December,  1866,  he  was  ordained  as  pastor  of  the  church 
at  Llanfairtalhaiarn,when  the  following  ministers  officiated: 
John  Jones  (Hen  Gloddiwr),  George  James,  J.  G.  Owens, 
and  W.  Thomas.  In  1868  he  moved  to  Glyn  Ceiriog,  and 
here  in  1870  he  was  married  to  Eleanor  Edwards,  daughter 
of  Richard  and  Mary  Edwards,  who  proved  a  true  helpmeet 
to  him  until  August,  1881,  when  God  called  her  home.  He 
was  then  pastor  at  Cilgeran,  Pembrokeshire.  Before  his 
settlement  at  Cilgeran  after  his  departure  from  Glyn 
Ceiriog,  he  had  been  pastor  at  Bargoed,  Monmouthshire, 
and  Philadelphia,  Glamorgan.  In  1883  he  moved  to 
Bodedyrn,  North  Wales,  and  there,  March  24,  1886,  he  was 
married  the  second  time  to  Catherine  J.  Davies.  daughter 
of  D.  R,  Davies  (Delta),  Birkenhead,  who  proved  an  excel- 
lent wife  to  him  until  his  death.  In  March,  1888,  he  came 
to  America  and  settled  as  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Baptist 
Church  at  Freedom,  New  York,  where  he  remained  for 
three  years,  and  in  1891  he  accepted  a  call  from  the  Parrish 
Street  Baptist  Church,  Wilkes- Barre,  Pa.,  and  after  serving 
it  three  years  he  had  to  resign  on  account  of  ill  health,  and 
moved  to  Hillside  and  united  with  the  Meade  Street  Church, 
where  he  ended  his  days  December  21,  1902,  and  was 
buried  at  Oaklawn  Cemetery,  VVilkes-Barre,  Pa.,  December 
24,  1902.  He  left  a  widow  and  two  sons  and  many  friends 
to  mourn  his  loss.  He  was  highly  respected,  and  left  a 
good  record  behind  him. 

I  have  taken  the  above  facts  from  an  article  that  was 
published  in  "The  Mirror"  for  January  22,  1903,  by  the 
Rev.  W.  J.  John. 


56 
REV.  ISAAC  BEVAN,  D.  D. 

Though  Dr.  Bevan  was  never  pastor  of  any  of  our 
Welsh  churches,  yet  he  was  a  Welshman,  and  one  who 
loved  and  honored  his  nation.  He  was  born  at  Llanwen- 
arth,  Monmouthshire,  Wales,  January  2^,  1811.  He  was 
converted  at  the  age  of  17  and  ordained  at  21,  immediately 
after  which  (in  1832)  he  came  tO'  America.  After  seven- 
teen years'  labor  in  New  York  State  (first  at  Fishkill  Plains, 
where  his  field  embraced  a  circuit  of  thirty  miles,  and  upon 
which  churches  were  established  through  his  efforts  at  Cold 
Spring,  Putnam  Valley,  Frankindale  and  Beekman, — after- 
wards at  Armenia,  Rhinebeck  and  Hamilton,  now  the  seat  of 
Colgate  University),  he  settled  at  Reading,  Pa.,  as  pastor  of 
the  First  Baptist  Church,  which  he  served  until  he  settled 
in  Scranton  as  pastor  of  the  Penn  Avenue  Church,  which 
occurred  in  1859.  The  newly  organized  church  in  that 
embryo  city  then  had  but  twenty-three  members  and  paid 
only  $250.00  salary.  In  1866,  largely  through  the  personal 
efforts  of  the  pastor,  a  $20,000.00  edifice  was  erected.  The 
membership  had  then  grown  to  over  200.  After  ten  years' 
laborious  and  successful  work  here  he  retired  and  the  fol- 
lowing year  became  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Clark's 
Green.  In  1876  he  accepted  a  call  to  the  pastorate  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church,  Scranton,  continuing  the  same  about 
five  years,  after  whicli  time  he  w^as  not  in  active  service. 
He  pased  away  peacefuly  lat  his  home  at  Clark's  Green, 
July  13,  1886,  aged  75  years. 

Said  an  intimate  friend  at  the  funeral: — "I  never  met 
a  nobler  Christian  man,  nor  a  more  faithful  minister  of 
Jesus."  He  was  successful  because  his  faith  in  God  never 
faltered.  (See  Minutes  of  the  Wyoming  Baptist  Associ- 
ation for  1892.) 

When  I  was  a  member  of  the  First  Welsh  Baptist 
Church  of  Scranton  in  1865-1869,  it  was  my  privilege  and 
pleasure  to  be  intimately  acquainted  wnth  him,  as  I  often 
met  him.  Old  Llanwenarth  has  great  reasons  to  be  proud 
of  her  descendants  in  America. 


57 
DAVID  PROBERT,  YOUNGSTOWN,  OHIO. 

As  the  writer  published  the  following  sketch  of  Father 
Probert  in  the  "Journal  and  Messenger"  of  November  i6, 
1899,  he  desires  to  insert  it  with  the  names  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania ministers,  as  one  worthy  of  an  honorable  preserva- 
tion : 

After  forty-three  years  the  faithful  and  beloved  pastor  of 
the  Walnut  Street  Baptist  Church  (Welsh),  Youngstown, 
Ohio,  died,  after  a  brief  illness,  at  the  residence  of  his  eldest 
son,  John  D.  Probert,  in  Youngstown,  Thursday  morning, 
October  26,  1899,  at  the  age  of  85  years.  He  was  born  at 
Llangynidr,  South  Wales,  December  25,  1814.  He  was 
converted  and  united  with  the  Baptist  Church  when  but  12 
years  of  age.  In  1832,  after  the  death  of  his  father,  accom- 
panied by  his  mother  and  two  brothers,  he  came  to  this 
country,  and,  after  a  brief  residence  at  Pottsville  and  Pitts- 
burgh, Pa.,  removed  tO'  Portage  County,  Ohio,  where  he 
married  Miss  Eleanor  Davis,  October  i,  1836.  Later  he 
went  to  Brady's  Bend,  Pa.,  where  he  was  ordained  to  the 
work  of  the  gospel  ministry,  July  10,  1841.  There  he  or- 
ganized a  Welsh  Baptist  Church  of  about  100  members, 
which  he  served  as  pastor  until  early  in  1846,  when,  with 
his  little  family,  he  removed  to  Youngstown,  Ohio.  Here 
again  he  found  a  few  Welsh  Baptists  and  organized  a 
church,  and  the  following  year  built  a  small  meeting  house 
at  what  was  then  callied  Brier  Hill,  in  which  they  continued 
to  worship  until  1865,  when  the  organization  was  removed 
into  the  city,  and  the  following  year  built  a  house  of  worship 
on  Walnut  street,  the  site  of  the  present  beautiful  house. 
From  its  organization,  with  but  a  single  break  of  four 
years,  Mr.  Probert  served  this  church,  until,  at  the  age  of 
80,  he  resigned  because  of  failing  strength.  He  was  a  man 
of  great  mental  and  physical  vigor,  and  a  preacher  of  great 
power.  He  saw  his  church  grow  from  a  feeble  band  to  be 
a  strong  and  flourishing  church,  numbering  tonJay  more 
than  400.  Mr.  Probert  was  instrumental  in  organizing 
many  other  churches  within  a  radius  of  ten  miles,  with 


5^ 

Youngstown  for  a  center.  Mrs.  Probert,  his  ever  true  and 
faithful  helpmeet,  died  on  the  12th  of  January  last,  at  the 
age  of  84,  leaving  the  aged  husband  to  journey  alone,  after 
a  married  life  of  more  than  sixty-two  years.  Four  sons  sur- 
vive their  father — John  D.  and  Frederich  Probert,  both  of 
Youngstown;  Rev.  K  M.,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church  of  Tiffin,  Ohio,  and  Rev.  T.  C,  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  of  Petersburg,  Ind.  Speaking  of  the  death 
of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Probert,  one  of  the  city  papers  says:  "It 
has  been  truthfully  said  that  the  community  may  be  thank- 
ful that  this  splendid  man  chose  Youngstown  for  his  home. 
With  the  respect  which  he  so  well  merited,  and  in  the  pres- 
ence of  hundreds  of  his  old  parishioners  and  friends,  the  re- 
mains were  laid  away  in  Oak  Hill  Cemetery  Saturday  after- 
noon. With  the  death  of  this  venerable  gentleman  was 
concluded  a  life  governed  by  self-sacrifice  and  kindly  deeds, 
and  it  was  only  fitting  that  the  public  testimony  of  yester- 
day should  mark  the  close  of  his  earthly  career."  Surely  he 
rests  from  his  labors,  and  his  works  do  follow  him.  (Jour- 
nal and  Messenger,  November  16,  1899.) 


REV.  DAVID  JENKINS. 

Mr.  Jenkins  was  born  at  the  Cross  Inn,  Cardigan- 
shire, South  Wales,  January  i,  1800.  He  was  a  son  of 
David  and  Margaret  Jenkins.  He  went  to  Rhymney  in 
1 817,  where  he  was  baptized  by  the  famous  Rev.  John  P. 
Davies,  Tredegar.  Soon  after  his  baptism  he  began  to 
preach  at  the  same  place.  In  1829  he  came  to  America  and 
settled  at  Pittsburgh.  The  Rev.  Jacob  Morris  was  at 
Pittsburgh  then,  and  was  a  strong  Calvinist,  whilst  Jenkins 
was  a  strong  Fullerist,  which  was  perfectly  natural,  as  he 
was  a  pupil  of  the  Rev.  John  P.  Davies,  who  was  the  leader 
of  Fullerism  in  Wales,  hence  Morris  and  Jenkins  used  to 
have  fiery  times.  After  spending  seven  years  at  Pittsburgh 
he  went  to  Palmyra,  Ohio,  where  he  was  very  successful  for 
several  years.     From  Palmyra  he  went  to  Freedom,  Cat- 


59 

taraugus  Co.,  New  York,  where  he  spent  four  prosperous 
and  happy  years;  from  Freedom. to  Utica,  New  York;  from 
Utica  to  Ebensburgh,  Pa.,  where  he  spent  twelve  years  of 
a  successful  ministry.  A  meeting  house  was  built  there 
during  his  time.  From  Ebensburgh  he  went  to  Attica, 
New  York,  where  he  remained  eight  years,  and  then  came 
to  Hubbard,  Ohio,  where  he  ended  his  days.  May  15,  1882. 
He  died  in  peace,  after  having  been  a  disciple  of  Christ  and 
a  preacher  of  the  gospel  for  more  than  sixty  years.  His 
wife  had  preceded  him  a  few  years  before  his  death.  The 
above  facts  have  been  translated  from  an  article  published 
by  the  late  Rev.  Charles  Jones,  M.  A.,  in  The  Dawn  for 
1882,  p,  277. 


REV.  HENRY  THOMAS. 

Mr.  Thomas  was  born  at  12  P.  M.  February  3,  1828,  in 
the  parish  of  Llanddewy  Velfrey,  Pembrokeshire,  Wales. 
His  father's  name  was  Evan  Thomas  and  was  a  weaver  by 
trade. 

After  several  years  of  schooling  he  began  acquiring 
the  art  of  weaving,  his  father's  vocation. 

At  17,  however,  he  went  to  sea  and  for  several  years 
served  as  a  sailor.  On  one  occasion  the  vessel  was  wrecked 
and  nearly  all  the  crew  lost,  he  supposedly,  among  the  num- 
ber. At  length  a  body  was  found  supposed  to  be  his.  His 
parents  buried  it  and  placed  a  headstone  over  the  grave  "In 
Memory  of  Henry  Thomas."  Here  this  body  rested  for  a 
year  or  more  before  Mr.  Thomas,  having  determined  to 
abandon  the  sea,  returned  home,  to  the  startling  surprise 
and  joy  of  family  and  friends. 

Mr.  Thomas  was  converted  in  his  young  manhood  and 
began  to  preach  in  1850,  and  in  1852  he  entered  Haverford- 
west College.  He  spent  several  years  at  this  college,  and 
in  November,  1856,  assumed  the  pastorate  of  Jerusalem 
Church,  Rhymney,  Monmouthshire.  After  having  served 
this  church  for  a  few  years  he  left  for  Briton  Ferrey. 


6o 

In  1881  he  came  to  America  and  settled  as  pastor  of 
Summit  Hill  and  Lansford,  Pa.  After  his  departure  from 
Summit  Hill,  &c.,  he  served  Freeland,  Pa.,  and  Remsen, 
New  York.  January,  1891,  he  went  to  Frostburg,  Mary- 
land, where  he  died  Saturday,  February  20,  1904. 

In  addition  to  Frostburg  he  had  charge  of  Eckhard, 
Maryland.  The  above  facts  were  furnished  me  by  Mr. 
Thomas  himself  in  a  personal  letter.  The  following  items 
are  taken  out  of  the  Mining  Journal  of  Frostburg  for  Feb- 
ruary 27,  1904: 

He  died  at  Frostburg  February  20,  1904. 

He  is  survived  by  his  wife  and  four  daughters — ^Misses 
Marie  M.,  Katherine  A.,  and  Martha  J.,  of  this  place,  and 
Mrs.  E,  Irving  eKarsing,  of  Monroe,  La. 

The  funeral  Wednesday  was  held  in  the  church.  Rev. 
E.  C.  Allard  of  the  Union  Street  Baptist  Church  leading 
the  services.    Interment  in  Allegany  Cemetery. 

Pallbearers — Thomas  M.  Thomas,  Edward  R.  Bradley, 
Ephriam  Davis,  Thomas  Gatehouse,  William  Reese,  Will- 
iam H.  Gatehouse,  Thomas  Harris,  Sr.,  and  David  H. 
Powell. 

Honorary  Pallbearers — Members  of  the  Frostburg 
Ministerial  Association. 

Ministers  Present — Revs.  James  Millerand  W.  D.  Mc- 
Curdy,  of  Cumberland;  A.  C.  Thomson,  of  Lonaconing,  and 
T.  W.  T.  Noland,  State  Baptist  Colporteur. 

Mr.  Thomas  was  a  strorrg,  vigorous,  rugged  person- 
ality. With  an  industry  that  never  flagged,  he  had  been 
all  his  life  a  student,  picking  up  as  he  went  along  convic- 
tions of  truth,  right  and  duty,  which  no  counter-contro- 
versy could  shake.  In  religious  faith  he  was  a  Baptist  of 
Baptists,  and  in  politics  a  Republican  of  Republicans.  His 
professions  were  few,  but  there  was  no  mistaking  where 
he  stood  when  religious,  party  or  moral  questions  were  in 
issue.  He  could  be  counted  in  advance  on  the  side  he  be- 
lieved to  be  right.    A  profound  Welsh  scholar,  he  was  also 


6i 

well  versed  in  Latin,  Greek,  Hebrew,  and  never  too  proud 
to  seek  insight,  when  wanted,  into  the  intricacies  of  the 
coming  cosmopolitan  tongue — English.  He  was  popular 
as  a  pastor  and  held  in  high  esteem  by  his  ministerial 
brethren. 

Resolutions  of  respect  to  Rev.  Henry  Thomas,  with 
whose  tribute  the  Journal  closes  this  sketch: 

Whereas,  It  has  pleased  God,  our  Father,  in  His  all- 
wise  providence,  to  remove  from  our  midst  and  from  his 
earthly  labor  our  beloved  friend  and  brother  in  the  min- 
istry, Rev.  Henry  Thomas,  late  pastor  of  the  Welsh  Bap- 
tist Church,  and  ex-president  of  the  Frostburg  Ministerial 
Association,  we,  his  associates,  desire  to  express  our  esti- 
mate of  his  worth  and  appreciation  of  his  fraternal  spirit 
and  service. 

As  the  oldest  member  of  our  Association,  with  a  long 
record  of  service  for  Christ  and  a  wide  experience  in  the 
world,  he  occupied  a  position  of  prominence  among  us,  and 
his  counsel  was  eagerly  sought  and  fraternally  given.  None 
appreciated  the  Association  more  than  he,  and  none  aided 
more  in  promoting  denominational  united  and  good  fel- 
lowship. 

The  increasing  infirmities  of  age  did  not  diminish  his 
interest  in  the  cause  of  civic  and  personal  righteousness,  or 
check  the  flow  of  his  ardent,  youthful  spirit.  Always  ready 
for  any  enterprise  having  as  its  object  the  welfare  of  indi- 
viduals or  the  betterment  of  the  community,  sincere  in  his 
espousal  of  righteousnes  and  staunch  and  uncompromising 
in  his  opposition  to  evil,  clear  in  his  perception  of  duty  and 
zealous  in  doing  it,  loyal  to  his  Bible  and  his  God,  loving 
and  genial  towards  all  his  fellowmen,  he  set  an  example 
that  should  inspire  and  direct  those  he  loved  to  serve. 

To  but  few  is  given  the  privilege  of  serving  the  Master 
so  long  and  sO'  vigorously,  and  with  powers  unimpaired 
unto  the  end;  and  we  can  say  with  much  satisfaction  that 
he  has  fought  a  good  fight,  has  finished  a  long  course,  has 
kept  a  strong  faith,  and  we  feel  assured  that  there  is  laid  up 
for  him  a  crown  of  righteousness. 


62 

And  worships  God  in  smiles,  and  not  in  tears." 

Feeding  the  heart  on  joys  instead  of  fears, 

"He  showed  how  wisdom  turns  its  hours  to  years, 

"His  thoughts  were  as  a  pyramid  up-piled. 
On  whose  far  top  an  angel  stood  and  smiled — 
Yet  in  his  heart  was  he  a  simple  child." 

We  tender  the  widow  and  bereaved  daughters  our  sin- 
cere sympathy  in  their  affliction,  knowing  that  in  his  re- 
moval they  have  lost  a  kind  and  loving  husband,  a  gentle 
and  affectionate  father. 

Also  to  his  congregation  we  thus  convey  our  sense  of 
their  loss  of  a  faithful  and  beloved  pastor.  And  while  we 
mingle  our  sorrow  with  theirs  we  commend  them,  one  and 
all,  to  the  tender  care  of  our  Heavenly  Father,  upon  whom 
our  brother  was  accustomed  to  lean — that  Father  who  has 
said^ — "Cast  thy  burden  upon  the  Lord,  and  He  shall  sus- 
tain thee;'*  "As  thy  days  .so  shall  thy  strength  be;"  "My 
grace  is  sufficient  for  thee."  Furthermore,  we  hope  that 
beyond  this  life  there  may  be  a  reunion  and  an  unbroken 
fellowship  with  hdm  in  the  presence  of  "the  King  in  His 
beauty"  in  "that  land  that  is  very  far  off."    Respectfully, 

W.  H.  Lahr, 

O.  E.  Wittlinger, 

H.  S.  Ecker, 

Commitee. 


P.  S.  On  the  cornerstone  of  the  meeting  house  of  the 
Jerusalem  Baptist  Church  of  Briton  Ferry,  Wales,  the  fol- 
lowing words  are  inscribed : 

"This  stone  was  laid  by  Henry  Thomas,  June  lo, 
1863." 

He  was  the  founder  of  the  above  church. 

GWILYM  DDU. 


63 

This  brings  to  a  close  brief  sketches  of  many  Baptist 
ministers  who  have  labored  in  Northeastern  Pennsylvania. 
Many  of  these  sketches  have  been  given  the  writer  by  the 
subjects  themselves  during  their  lifetime,  others  have  been 
compiled  and  translated  from  different  periodicals,  and 
others  have  been  obtained  by  correspondence  with  the  dif- 
ferent families  of  the  deceased,  and  it  is  astonishing  liow 
little  many  families  know  of  the  history  of  their  own  mem- 
bers. I  sincerely  hope  that  others  may  be  prompted  to 
gather  the  history  of  many  of  those  whom  the  writer  has 
not  inserted  in  this  volume.  May  the  reading  of  these 
reminiscences  awaken  many  pleasant  memories  and  prompt 
to  more  faithful  service  on  our  part,  that  we  may  yet  meet 
our  fathers  in  the  glorious  reunion  above. 


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Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

Stockton,  Calif. 

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